Switched at Tragedy (Rewrite)
by Inkaliber
Summary: The Shenron of Time and Space sees only pain for Goku in one of the timebranches. It's even worse for Naruto. What's a dragon to do? Maybe call upon a certain time traveler to switch the boys out. Will this fix the problem or make things worst? How will this affect our favorite heroes? T because Dragon Ball and Naruto. OCC Naruto and Goku. Goku X Hinata, Fu X Anko. Contains OC's.
1. Magic Dragon, Time Traveling Teenager

**Hey guys. For those who haven't read the recent chapter or for those who start after the original is deleted, this is the rewrite for Switched at Tragedy. I just drew up a blank as I tried to write the next chapter to the original. It became so frustrating that I decided to start from scratch. Being my first rewrite, I won't be changing too much at first, but that also means any errors I've yet to fix will hopefully be fixed.**

 **For fans of the Goku X Sakura pairing, I apologize here. I just couldn't see any way to get from where the pairing started to where I wanted to end the story, so I had to jump ship. I decided to go with the Goku X Hinata pairing, and I will say that it makes writing the story much easier. I already have a replacement pairing made for Sakura, and I've found a good pairing for Sasuke too. They won't be together, but I think both pairings will be satisfying.**

 **Without further ado, let's get this rewrite started. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I do, however, own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Unknown Pocket in Space and Time_

In a huge temple stood a teenager staring at a statue of a dragon. The teenager had purple skin, white hair, and yellow eyes. He wore square rimmed glasses, a black short-sleeve muscle shirt with the letters F,X, and I on each sleeve, black pants, and brown boots. In his possession was a brown scabbard with a katana sheathed within it. His eyes wandered to the head of the dragon.

The dragon statue was made out of marble. It had a golden mural depicting seven orbs and nine beasts behind it. The first orb had a star in it and the amount of stars rose as you looked at the other orbs. The same went for the beasts, but, instead of stars, the beasts tails ascended from first to last. In front of the statue laid a pool of water.

The statue's eyes began to glow blue as a moan rung throughout the temple. The teen tensed in response, but soon loosened up at the lack of malevolent intent.

 **"Welcome to the Temple of Space and Time young one."** said he statue. **"I am the Shenron of Time and Space. I am one of the few who watch over time and space, guarding each from those who would..."**

"I don't mean to be rude, but can you make this quick?" asked the impatient teenager. "I've got research to do." A tear formed in the dragon statue's eye. It fell into the pool below as another moan filled the temple.

 **"It is your devotion to your research and your view on life that has caught my attention young Fu."** stated the dragon. **"I need someone like you right now."**

"What does a humble researcher like me have to offer you, oh Great Shenron of Time and Space?" The pool glowed as two different locations were shown.

 **"See for yourself young researcher."** Fu looked into the first location. He knew this point in time very well. It was one of the saddest events in history. The destruction of planet Vegeta.

He saw the pod that held the greatest hero in history, Son Goku, racing towards earth. He heard him cry as he grew further and further from the dying world. Fu turned to the planet. He watched Frieza, the monster that destroyed the planet, laugh as the death ball drew closer. He could hear Goku's father call out his son's saiyan name.

"Kakarot!" shouted Bardock, the father of Goku, as he was engulfed in the energy sphere. Fu looked away and decided to focus on the other location. It was a small planet, seemingly untamed except for a few villages he could see. He looked to the dragon, confusion on clearly visible on his face.

"I don't recognize this planet." said Fu.

 **"I don't expect you to."** stated Shenron. **"This is an entirely different time branch from the one you hail from."**

"Time branch? Do you mean time line?" A network of energy appeared behind the dragon.

 **"Time line is such an ignorant explanation for it. Time is like a tree, and the beginning of time is like the trunk. The trunk splits off the into multiple branches. Tell me, young Fu, do the branches just go out in a straight line with no interruptions?"**

"No. They twist and turn, even making more branches."

 **"And the same goes for time. Every decision, whether it be something as small as a glance or something as big as destroying a planet, branches off into multiple different branches in time. Each new branch is an alternate version of that decision. Some fall off because they are too weak to stand on their own. That is all I will share for now, however, as we have strayed from the main point of your visit."**

"It's a shame. This new intel has caused me to alter or completely rewrite my theories."

 **"Back to the matter at hand, look deeper into the forest. There is a hidden village. Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village. It is one of the hidden villages. There are many other villages like it. Watch carefully. A true tragedy is about to befall this village."**

Fu did as told. Suddenly, a huge explosion came out of nowhere. Nine tails poked out of the smoke. Ears could be seen as the smoke dissipated. Fu recognized the beast from the mural.

"It is the last beast on your mural."

 **"Correct young Fu. Kurama, the nine tailed fox. One of the nine biju, or tailed beasts. They are seen as demons by the people. Watch as Kurama demonstrates why."**

Kurama began destroying the surrounding forest. He swung all of his tails left and right. He stomped on the ground, crushing all beneath him. He fired a laser of strange energy. Fu noticed men rushing out of the trees.

"The fools. Why are they..."

 **"Shinobi, the warriors of this world. These are from Konoha. They have come to try and kill the beast. They will undoubtedly fail."**

Fu had a thought run through his head.

"Mighty Shenron? If they are demons, then why are they on your mural?"

 **"Good eye young one. Remember what I said? They are seen as demons, but they are far from it. They are living Chakra, a mix of ki and stamina. It is the energy of branch 149, the branch we are currently viewing. The shinobi will die for their village and for some their families. Do you feel that ominous energy boy?"**

Fu searched for it. He found strands of visible chakra being lead off to another area. They were chains. Fu cringed at the sight.

"He's being used as a puppet."

The pool changed its image to show the holder of the chains staring down another man.

 **"Yes. The man controlling him will remain a mystery for now. The man he's fighting, however, is the great leader of Konoha. The Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze. He is part of the tragedy."**

Minato had bright, blue eyes and spiky, blond hair. He also had jaw-length bangs framing either side of his face. His attire consisted of a standard Konoha uniform with two bands on both of his sleeves, a green flak jacket blue forehead protector, and blue sandals. He also wore a short-sleeved long white haori over his normal attire, closed in the front by a thin, orange rope. Fu tried to get a closer look at the opponent, but the image changed over to a hospital.

A mother was cradling her child. She had violet eyes, and red hair that reached her ankles. She wore a high-collared, sleeveless blouse under a long, loose-fitting dress with a wristband on her left wrist and standard shinobi sandals. The child started to cry. She held him tight.

"It's okay." whispered the woman. "Everything is gonna be okay Naruto." The child calmed down a bit. Fu shook his head.

"Her energy is fading fast." stated Fu.

 **"There are people who have biju sealed inside them."** informed Shenron. **"They are usually raised to be weapons to have against the other villages in war. The only problem with that is that if the biju is removed, the person slowly dies. She is Kushina Uzumaki. She's a Jinchuriki."**

"Which one is in her?"

 **"Was boy. You've already met him."** Fu looked at the dragon.

"How did...?"

 **"The nine tailed fox was removed by the masked man from earlier. It's easiest to remove a biju during a certain point for women, child birth."** Fu looked back Kushina.

Minato jumped in through the window.

"Minato!" shouted Kushina. She held her chest as she took a heavy breath. Her energy was dropping fast. Minato walked over to calm her down. He then took Naruto out of her arms.

"Everything's going to be alright Kushina." said Minato.

"What are you doing!?"

"I have to seal the biju, and Naruto is the only one for the job. With the biju's power, he would be strong enough to defend himself from Kiri and any others who would seek to harm him." Kushina wanted to take her child back, but she was too weak to do the deed.

"Not in my baby! There has to be another way Minato!" Minato embraced her.

"It's the only way. My only regret is that we will not be here to see him grow up." Kushina had more to say, but her life faded as Minato placed her on the hospital bed. He went out with Naruto in his arms. The puddle fast forward through time, displaying the crater the Nine Tailed Fox once stood.

There was silence. It was only broken by the cries of baby Naruto. He looked so alone. The pool suddenly showed the two crying children side by side. Fu shedded a tear at the sight.

"You brought me here to see two tragedies?" asked Fu.

 **"You had to see the problem before you could hear the solution."** argued the dragon. **"I have seen the future of these variations of the time branches. They do not end well. Gohan was killed before Goku arrived on earth, so he'd be alone and he'd destroy the human race. As for Naruto, he was raised to be a weapon because the previous Hokage did not resume work after the death of Minato. I cannot stand by while these children live sad lives. That is where you come in. There is a lot of research to be gained from switching their live. That is the only way I can see this working."**

"But what about the time patrollers?"

 **"They won't even know with me involved. The children need this. Will you help me young Fu?"** Fu smiled as he wiped the lone tear from his eye.

"Yes mighty Shenron!"

 **"Good. Now, let's begin the swap."** Shenron's eyes glew brighter. The children were encased in light.

 _Konoha_

Hiruzen had come to the crater personally to check for signs of Minato. He wore a black jumpsuit, mesh segments over the lower portions of his limbs, and a green gauntlet that covered much of his right arm.

He hoped to find something, anything that could lead to him being alive. He found nothing as he searched high and low. He was about to give up. He then heard a cry he recognized.

"Naruto!" shouted Hiruzen. He ran over to find a strange teenager holding Naruto and another child in his hand. He pulled out his weapons. The young man noticed him.

"Hold on there old man." said the strange being. "You don't wanna accidentally hurt the children do you?" Hiruzen lowered his weapons. "So you're the old Hokage? So cool!"

"Who are you!?" shouted Hiruzen. The purple teen scratched the back of his head.

"Right, right! Explanations. Sorry there. My name is Fu. I come in peace. I've come to make life easier."

"For who are you implying?"

"Everyone, which of course includes these little guys. I've come to swap them out."

"You cannot take Naruto! His parents sacrificed themselves so that he could live!"

"I know, but think about it. With him being a Jinchuriki of the creature that was used to destroy your home and killed many family members, what chance does he have? Do you want him to grow up alone? There are too many variables against him. He has a better chance swapping out with this little guy. Just take a look at him."

He handed the other child to Hiruzen. Hiruzen was skeptical, but the little boy was calling for him. He held the child. His hair was in a strange style, but other than that he was just a normal child. Well, that's what he thought till he saw the child's tail.

"Don't be scared." reassured Fu. "He's not a monster. Well only when he looks at the full moon. Anyway, he's one of the last survivors of his people. They were all wiped out by an evil tyrant they served. Think of his tail as a kekei genkai, but for his whole people. He has no one to go to. He needs this."

"But what about Naruto!?" shouted Hiruzen.

"I was getting to that! Geez! You need to chill. I know a nice man who will be willing to take in the young child. Think about it. This is his best shot. They'll both get the love they deserve, and life will be much better for those around them. What do you say?"

Hiruzen didn't know what to do. He couldn't just trade Minato and Kushina's child for another. It wouldn't be right. Then again, he couldn't leave this other boy without a suddenly saw a light.

Minato and Kushina stood in front of a dragon. They didn't say a word. They smiled at him. It was as if they were telling her that it would be okay. He looked to Fu.

"Fine." said Hiruzen. "But if anything happens to the boy..."

"I get it! I get it!" shouted Fu. "It won't be a problem. He'll be just fine. By the way, the other child's name is Goku. I'll leave the clan name up to you. See ya!"

He disappeared in a flash of light. Hiruzen looked at Goku. The child grabbed at his beard and pulled. He looked off to the village as Goku nodded off.

"Let's go home." said Sarutobi as he took off.

 _Mt. Pazao_

Son Gohan decided to go for a walk. He had small dark eyes and a bushy white mustache and eyebrows. He wore a Chinese martial arts uniform, which consisted of a sleeveless orange jacket over a long sleeved black shirt, and a green hat. He strolled through some bamboo.

He sure did enjoy the peace and quiet. He suddenly heard a large wail. He ran over to find a purple man holding a blond child. He walked over. The man noticed.

"Hey there stranger!" shouted the man. "How's your day going?" sighed Gohan in relief.

"It's going well." answered Gohan. "How about you?"

"Actually... I have a bit of a problem. You see, my name is Fu, and I'm trying to find a home for little Naruto here. He's recently become an orphan. I've tried all over but no one has room for the little guy."

"Let me take a look at him." Fu handed Naruto over to Gohan. Naruto was still crying. He rocked him for a bit. Gohan rubbed the whisker marks on the child's cheek as he fell asleep. "Who wouldn't want such a sweet young boy?"

"The problem is that there just doesn't seem to be any room for the little guy." answered Fu. "I fear what might happen if I can't find a place for him. I can't take care of him or else I would." Gohan looked down at the baby. There was something about him that brought a smile to his face. "Anyway, sorry to bother you stranger. I guess I'll be..."

"I'll take him." stated Gohan. "No child should be without a home." Fu smiled.

'Success!' thought Fu. "That's just wonderful! I'm happy to hear it! I am required to check up on him every now and again."

"I'm fine with that. I'll enjoy the company." Fu bid them goodbye as he took off into the forest. Gohan looked down at Naruto.

'Son Naruto' thought Gohan as he walked home.

 _Temple of Time and Space_

Fu walked up to Shenron. He stopped as once again the moaning filled the building.

 **"You have done well Fu."** stated the dragon. **"They have accepted the fate of the children."**

"The parents have been moved to the respective afterlife, though that Kushina lady packs a mean punch." said Fu as he rubbed a sore spot on his cheek. "I'll change the locations of certain individuals as time moves on just like you requested. I'll do it as you say it's needed or when it's good for research. If it's not too much to ask, why are we changing so much?"

 **"The answer will come when the time is right. For now, you must rest. We have many trials ahead of us, and you will need your strength."** Fu walked out of the main room. The dragon looked into the pool.

 **"Your reign of fear ends now, Frieza, Kaguya. You will meet your end."** The dragon's eyes faded back to darkness. A light appeared in the pool. The glow faded from the pool as two faces appeared in it.

 **There's the rewritten prologue. I wanted to make sure to mention the full reason Minato wanted to seal Kurama into Naruto instead of trying to reseal him within Kushina. Also, I realized someone of Shenron's importance should have his words written in bold. I thought it'd be fun if Fu told them Goku's saiyan name instead of the name he's well known for. I didn't want to change the prologue, but thankfully I was able to fix a few things and add a little more too it.**

 **Anywho, what do you think about the changes to the prologue? Do you like how Goku will be called Kakarot, or would you want him to still go by his Earth name? Let me know in a review down below, and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	2. Chapter 1: Uncle Fu, Strong Bonds

**I'm back! I know this update seems too soon, but I want to get these rewritten chapters out as soon as possible. Anywho, last chapter I asked if you guys wanted me to have Goku still go by his earth name or stick with his saiyan name. Until I have enough reviews to warrant it, he shall continue to be called Kakarot. Now then, time for the rewritten first chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball. I do own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Temple of Space and Time_

Fu couldn't decide what to wear for his visit to the boys. The kids in question had each gotten him an outfit to wear as a gift, and he certainly didn't want to disappoint either of them. He was trying to decide whether he'd wear the ninja uniform Goku got him or the martial arts uniform from Naruto. He also didn't want to change out certain outfit parts. He looked at certain parts of each outfit, then got an idea.

He walked through the temple as he approached Shenron. He still wore his muscle T-shirt, boots, glasses, and scabbard, but he also sported black pants that came from his time branch, some black fingerless gloves from the same spot, and a dark blue trench coat from Konoha. He also had a bag full of scrolls around his torso. Most of the scrolls were on jutsu, but some were martial arts styles from both sides. They were for him and the boys to learn from.

He had studied some beforehand so that he knew which to give the boys each at one point. He saved a few specific ones for emergencies or when they were older. He stood in front of the dragon statue. He placed his hand on a seal at the base of the statue. He had learned that the dragon had a hard time awakening, so he created the seal to fix the problem.

Unlike last time, the dragon's eyes flashed blue. The same moan still filled the temple.

 **"You look different young Fu."** stated the dragon. **"I can see the individual outfits the boys got you mixed into your current attire."**

"I just couldn't disappoint them." said Fu. "So I told each of them that I'd wear what I could. This is the most appealing outcome that will make both happy."

 **"You've grown attached to the boys."** Fu rubbed the back of his head.

"Well it just feels good to be Uncle Fu." The dragon statue formed one of his tears. Once again the pool glowed upon contact from the tear. A split image of the boys appeared on the surface of the water. Fu instinctively looked to Naruto first.

Son Naruto was six right now. He wore a white T-shirt, blue gi pants, a white belt, and black shoes. He also wore a fake mustache he made to play around with Grandpa Gohan. Right now he was practicing with the Power Poll. Fu had developed a strong connection to the boy, having not really known his parents either.

Grandpa Gohan came out of the hut.

"Naruto!" shouted Gohan. "Come inside and get ready. Uncle Fu could be here any minute." Naruto looked at Grandpa Gohan with a smile as he rushed into the hut. Fu turned his attention to Kakarot.

Goku Toyotomi was the nine right now. He was wearing a burnt orange T-shirt, black pants, black wristbands, and black sandals. He was having a friend over. Rock Lee was usually one of the strange kids, but Goku wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, or the first half. They were both doing push ups to the extreme.

Lee was counting of course.

"107, 108, 109, 110!" shouted Lee as he fell to the ground.

"115, 116, 117, 118, 119... What comes after 119?" asked Goku as he held himself up.

"120."

"Thanks! 120." Goku stopped at 120, which was the limit they set themselves. Truth be told, he could go to 150 easily, he just wanted to help Lee get stronger. Then again, the monkey boy couldn't count past 120. He looked over to his friend.

Lee looked over at him. The boy knew he was getting stronger. He just didn't know if he was getting stronger than his friend. He really wanted to know the difference. He decided it was finally time.

"Goku!" started Lee. "Spar with me!" Goku's face lit up at the prospect of a fight.

"Later." said a voice from behind them. Hiruzen walked out of the Hokage building. He wasn't planning on resuming his roll as the Hokage, but that all changed when Fu swapped Naruto for Goku. He felt that if a man went to great lengths to try to give a child from his village a better life, then he needed to do something about the way the village worked. "For now, Goku needs to get to his studies if he wants to be a great ninja."

"Aww!" whined Goku.

"Need I remind you that today is a special training day?" The saiyan shot up like a rocket.

"I completely forgot! See ya later Lee! We'll spar tomorrow for sure!" Lee followed Goku's rise.

"I will train for that day!" shouted Lee. Lee ran for home.

"Just don't forget to eat!" Goku followed Hiruzen into the building. Special training meant that it was one of the days Fu would most likely show up. Hiruzen had his suspicions about Fu, but that changed after they actually got to talk for a bit. He saw Fu as a young man who only wanted to see people happy, even at the expense of his own happiness.

Fu watched them walk into the building. He had a routine of switching who he visited first. The first time he visited Naruto first then Goku, and he switched it from there on. His recent visit was to Naruto first. That meant he would visit Goku first today.

"Be back soon." said Fu as he fazed into the time branch. The dragon watched the events from the pool.

 _Time Branch 149, Hokage Mansion, Konohagakure_

Goku had just finished his studies and was training with Grandpa Hiruzen on the roof of the Hokage mansion. His tail wagged in the air as he prepared for their next clash. He got in his stance before he launched himself at Hiruzen. They exchanged blows for a bit, smiles on their faces as they got faster and faster.

Hiruzen was launched back by Goku's fist, but he caught himself and threw some shuriken. Goku pulled out a kunai and deflected them. One of the shuriken exploded on contact. Goku threw the kunai at Hiruzen, but it was a clone.

"You're Taijutsu and accuracy are exceptional, but how are your Ninjutsu coming along?" asked Hiruzen as he made some hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" He shot a ball of fire at Goku. The boy smiled as he made some hand signs of his own.

The fire ball connected with it's target. When the smoke cleared, however, Goku was nowhere to be found. Hiruzen looked for the monkey boy, but could not find him. Did he go too far?

The boy wasn't of this world. Could it be possible that chakra was his weakness? All thoughts came to a halt when he heard a battle cry behind him.

"Fire Style: Twin Fireball Jutsu!" shouted a voice behind him. He turned around to find two huge fireballs flying towards him. All he could do was brace for impact as the attack hit its mark. He got up as he looked for the source. He found two of Goku laughing while laying on their backs.

"How did you do that!?" shouted Hiruzen in surprise. "That was a powerful jutsu!"

"It's easier with two of me." answered Goku.

"That's still a powerful jutsu even with just one fireball!"

"It's as easy as your clone jutsu." Hiruzen held a puzzled look on his face. His clone jutsu? What did Kakarot mean by that? He looked bellow the children.

They both had shadows.

"Shadow clones!"

"Yep."

"How did... When did...Explain!"

"Remember when I dared you to get serious but you still held back?" Hiruzen nodded. "Well I saw the hand signs you used for the jutsu. After some practice, I got it down pat." Hiruzen was shocked.

Goku truly was a prodigy. Their conversation was cut off by clapping. They looked around until they found the origin of the sound. They saw Fu sitting on the railing with a smile on his face.

"Nice job Goku!" shouted Fu. "You might have to teach me today."

"Uncle Fu!" The boy ran to hug Fu, almost toppling him.

"Careful little tyke! We're on a roof ya know!"

"Sorry." Hiruzen let out a cough.

"Goku." said Hiruzen. "Why don't you go get ready? I have to speak with Uncle Fu for a bit."

"Ok!" Goku ran off into the mansion. Hiruzen began his check when the boy disappeared.

"How's Naruto?" asked Hiruzen.

"He's doing great." answered Fu with a smile. "Gohan's been taking good care of him. They live alone on a mountain but he takes Naruto into town every now and then. He's also been training him martial arts. He won't be training him to be a ninja, but I'll be there to train him to use his Chakra."

"Good to hear." They stopped conversating as Goku arrived. He had put on some goggles and a pair of orange gloves. He carried a bag of ninja tools that he made for this occasion. He walked over to Fu, ready to begin their training.

"Same place as last time?" asked Goku as he stretched.

"Smart as ever kid." answered Fu as he jogged in place. "Do good enough and I'll teach ya something neat."

"You're on!" They got in a running stance, then took off across the village. They hoped along the rooftops, Fu in the lead.

He suddenly saw Goku go flying ahead of him. He never taught Goku to fly. He realized that the boy had a shadow clone launch him forward. That was actually clever, except the boy probably hadn't thought about what to do once he was in the air.

"CRAP!" shouted Goku, proving Fu right. He kept falling until he ran into a wall. He slid down the wall before he plopped onto another roof. Fu stopped to check on the boy.

"You alright?" asked Fu.

"Yeah." answered Goku. "I'm alright Uncle Fu."

"That was clever kid. I'll let you rest a bit before we start again."

"It'll be fine. I can't wait to learn something new."

"You still haven't..." He stopped as he sensed Kakarot's energy. He chuckled as he looked at the boy. "Seriously, you're good."

"I have the best teachers." Goku disappeared in a puff of smoke. He had sent ahead a shadow clone to distract Fu, then he ran for the designated location. He stood on a giant stone version of Grandpa Hiruzen's head as he waited for Fu.

"Not bad kid." said Fu. Goku turned around, but took a step back as he saw Fu floating in the air. His face still held shock as Fu landed.

"How did..." started Goku as he pointed at his adopted uncle.

"That is what I'll teach you today." interrupted Fu. "It's as easy in concept as the ki blast, but still fairly complicated to put to use. You ready?"

"Yes Uncle Fu." The man smiled as he began the lecture.

"Alright, the trick is to feel the ki deep in your stomach. Once you have it, you need to send it to your feet. How much you need depends on how big you are and how heavy you feel. It'll take some time to master, even for you. You'll have a great advantage if you can do it though."

With Fu's instructions, Goku searched for the ki in his stomach. He pushed what he found down to his feet. He tried all he could to get it to his feet. He started to lift off. He was suddenly thrust into the sky.

He went higher than he intended and he couldn't hold on to the power. He stopped, before he fell from the sky.

"Why the crap does this always happen to me!?" He tried to get the feeling back as he descended further and further. He stopped mid air, but frowned as Fu held his leg. They reached the ground. Goku fought his way out of Fu's grasp.

"Don't be so upset!" reassured Fu. "You did great. It's honestly a good sign that you have a lot of potential if you actually over do that. You just need to learn control. Let's keep going."

They continued for a bit. Goku would sometimes go skyrocketing, but he was getting better. He'd over do, under do, and almost have it but he never fully grasped it. He sat on the ground in defeat. Fu sat next to him as he rubbed his tail.

"Hey! Cheer up sport! I told you it's hard, and nothing that's worth doing is ever easy. Why don't we go get some grub?" Goku perked up. He jumped and clicked his heels.

"HECK YEAH!" shouted Goku as he ran for his favorite spot. Ichiraku Ramen. He walked through the village with Fu. He tried not to look at some of the people.

He wasn't exactly the most popular kid. Some of the villagers had a thing against him. They seemed to think he was a freak. He thought that it was either because of his tail, the fact that he hangs around the 'purple stranger,' or both. Fu noticed his discomfort.

He stared down some villagers that were judging them. They looked away and walked off. He kneeled to Goku.

"Don't be so down champ." said Fu.

"I don't understand why they hate me." sighed Goku.

"They don't hate you little buddy, or at least they shouldn't. You've given them no reason to hate you. I think their just scared."

"That's supposed to be better how?"

"People are just scared of what they don't understand. They just can't understand why you're so awesome." Goku smiled. Fu sniffed, a smile forming on his face. "I smell ramen."

Goku ran as those words left his lips.

"Ichiraku's!" shouted the monkey boy as he took a seat.

"Well if it isn't my favorite customer!" said a man in the small restaurant. "How's the monkey king doing?" Goku frowned at that title.

"I'M NOT A MONKEY!" shouted Goku in rage.

"I don't know buddy." said Fu. "You sure do act like one."

"KNOCK IT OFF!" The two men laughed for a bit. They stopped laughing and the man, Mr. Ichiraku, got some ramen for the two customers. He gave one medium bowl to Fu and nine large bowls to Goku.

"ITADAKIMASU!" shouted Goku before he dug into the first bowl. He scarfed the ramen down like it was going out of stock. As he went through his third bowl, Fu was halfway through his bowl. Goku finished before his uncle, who was only a third of the way through his one bowl. Goku hopped down from the chair.

"Thank you for the food." said Goku as he entered a respectful bow.

"No problem kid." sighed Mr. Ichiraku. "Just warn me next time you swing by. Then I can better prepare for the rest of the day." Goku laughed as Fu finished and put the yen on the counter. He stood up, the time of day obvious.

"We better get you home Goku." said Fu.

"Aww!" pouted Goku. "But I still need to master flying."

"You can do that anytime. Unfortunately for me, I've got somewhere to be or else I'd live here in this nice village. Plus if I don't get you home Grandpa Hiruzen will get mad." Goku gulped. He knew it was a bad idea to get Grandpa mad.

They headed off for Goku's apartment. The boy waved to all his neighbors as they made their way home. Goku was fairly loved by the people at the apartments. He was a nice kid who loved to help when he could. They soon reached the apartment.

Goku opened the door as he walked into the building.

"Well little tyke, I guess this is goodbye for now." said Fu. "See ya later." The man hovered in the air as he prepared to leave.

"Bye Uncle Fu!" shouted Goku as Fu took off. Once he disappeared, Goku jumped to the roof to resume flight training. He went through the process. He had it for a split second.

Then he went sideways, crashing into a tree.

"Darn it." groaned Goku as he slid down the tree.

 _Time Branch 147, Gohan's Hut, Mt. Pazao_

Naruto sat outside. It had been hours since he got ready, and he really wanted to show Uncle Fu the new technique he came up with. He spent a whole month working on it. He sighed in impatience.

"Where is he?" asked Naruto out loud. He heard rustling nearby. He hoped that it was Uncle Fu. He ran over as he heard the trap he placed spring. He had set the trap so he could prank his adopted Uncle.

He didn't do them often, but when he did it always put a smile on Uncle Fu's face. The same didn't go for Grandpa Gohan. He never got in any real trouble because the pranks were light and harmless. He arrived to see the chicken running from his cut out log.

"Crap!" shouted Naruto in disappointment. "I need to raise the weight limit."

"Might also help if you added a pie to fling." said a voice.

"Yeah, that'll work!" Naruto paused. He pulled out a kunai and threw it in the direction of the voice. He looked in horror as the man he hit was Uncle Fu. He fell to the ground. He screamed.

"Uncle Fu!" shouted Naruto as he ran over to Fu. When he got there, he reached for Fu's hand. Fu turned into a puff of smoke, however, and a lot stood in his place. Naruto's eyes widened as he jumped back in fear.

"What the heck!" shouted Naruto. He turned to find a pie in his face.

"Got ya didn't I?" laughed Fu. He jumped back as Naruto threw a punch. Naruto removed the pie from his face as Fu continued to laugh.

"Don't scare me like that! How did you even do that!?"

"All in good time Naruto. How's the fox doing?"

"He's still grumpy, but we've come to an understanding. I think he's my friend, but he probably doesn't feel the same. He's one stubborn dog." Naruto stopped for a moment. "Yeah I know foxes aren't exactly dogs but what are you gonna do about it!?"

"Talking to it out loud instead of in your head? Grandpa Gohan must think you're crazy." Naruto looked over to him.

"Never mind that! I've got something cool I wanna show ya! Come on!" Fu followed Naruto to an open area. Naruto stood in the middle of it.

He charged his Ki as he held up his hand. An orange sphere appeared, swirling in his hand. He looked over to Fu.

"This is all chakra." said Naruto as he pushed some more chakra into the sphere. It swirled orange and white energy. He pulled it to the side and opened his eyes as he stomped on the ground. Nine disks hopped in the air.

"Nine Tail Blitz!" shouted Naruto as he pushed the sphere forward. Nine beams sprouted from the orb and chased the disks. Some disks shattered while others were turned to ash. He dropped his arm as he huffed and puffed before turning to Fu.

"I can do different increments of tails, but I wanted to show off." said Naruto as he placed his arms behind his head. Fu clapped as he approached the boy.

"Nice work kid!" approved Fu. "You may need to work on your stamina more if you want to perfect that move, but it was incredible all the same. Did the Nine Tails help you with that one?"

"Heck no! I just named it after him to try and impress him. Didn't work out so well as he ranted about using his title without the chakra. I think he's warming up to me since he stopped calling me stupid and started calling me his jailer. I don't like the title but that only made him do it more."

"You gotta give it time. Not all people change in one day. He'll come around at some point. I mean, he kinda has to since you're basically stuck with each other." Naruto smilled.

"What am I gonna learn today?"

"You basically threw part of my schedule out the window. You've already created your own chakra technique based off of ki principles. I guess we'll just have to keep going. Let's do substitution jutsu." Naruto bowed as the lesson began.

"This jutsu is fairly easy, but it requires that you have an object on or nearby you at all times." continued Fu. "All you have to do is sense the chakra of the object you want to replace yourself with, and..." He suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. The cut out log Naruto made stood in his place. He jumped from a tree behind Naruto.

"You swap places." finished Fu as Naruto jumped in fear. "This jutsu is best used when an attack is about to hit. It will look like the attack connected before they realize they hit the substitute. Just don't use something that you'll regret. Also, the jutsu doesn't allow you to swap with people."

Naruto nodded as he looked over to the log. He looked for it's chakra, then smirked. Suddenly, Fu kicked him square in the jaw.

There was a puff of smoke. Instead of the log, however, a rock was in its place. A hard, heavy rock.

"YOWCH!" shouted Fu as he grabbed his foot. Naruto walked from in between the trees.

"I'm sorry!" shouted Naruto. "I thought I had the log."

"It's okay. You just need to learn which chakra is which. Other than that, you did well." Naruto smiled. He got an idea.

"Since I completed the lesson in such a short time, why don't we spar?" suggested Naruto.

"Sounds good." They got into their stances. The match began, a few animals running at the sound of combat. They fought for hours, only stopping when they heard Grandpa Gohan call them for dinner. They raced to the hut, Naruto quickly taking the lead.

"Nice to see you Fu." greeted Gohan as the two arrived.

"Nice to see you too Gohan." replied Fu. They began to eat, Naruto eating almost as much as Goku. The boy finished his ramen quickly and ran into the forest. He grabbed a mat as he went out. Fu looked at Gohan.

"He always goes out after dinner to talk to his imaginary friend." said Gohan as if he knew what Fu was gonna ask. "I know kids have imaginary friends, but Naruto is starting to get ridiculous. I think I need to tell him that his friend isn't real."

"Come on Gohan, lighten up." argued Fu. "It'll be over soon, plus it's kinda funny to watch him talk about his friend. It's just a way for him to have fun. You don't have to worry."

"If you say so Fu." Fu still hadn't told Gohan about the Nine Tails. He feared that Gohan would try to remove it and seal it away in a Mafuba Jar. That would kill Naruto, obviously. He decided to let the imaginary friend thing continue for a while.

Somewhere in the forest, Naruto meditated. He never liked meditating until he started talking to Kurama, the Nine Tailed Beast. He really liked the giant fuzzy fox, even if he was grumpy. The fox really didn't like being called fuzzy. He smacked Naruto across the mindscape in retaliation.

 **"Don't call me fuzzy!"** roared Kurama. Naruto stood up.

"Why do you have to hit me so much!?" shouted Naruto.

 **"That time you deserved it. I told you not to call me fuzzy ten fricken times!"**

"Well excuse me if it's true."

 **"Just leave Brat."** Kurama turned his back to Naruto.

"What's wrong? Why do you hate me?"

 **"Every time I look at you, it reminds me of that darn village with the darn Hokage and his darn seal. I hate them! I HATE THEM ALL! I WANT TO JUST GET RID OF THEM! PERMANENTLY!"**

"What did they do to you that was so wrong?"

 **"They called me a demon. They sealed me within stupid humans. They keep me locked away. I can't even breathe here. I WISH THEY'D ALL JUST DIE!"**

Naruto put a hand on one of Kurama's tails.

"Hate isn't the answer. Why can't you just move on? I don't want to be your enemy. I want to be your friend. It's time to..."

Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence as he was knocked away by the beasts tail. Kurama stomped down on him, keeping his torso free from his paw.

 **"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO MOVE ON!"** roared the beast. **"WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE!? YOU'RE ONE OF THEM! THE STUPID HUMANS WHO LOCKED ME IN HERE! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOUR ANY DIFFERENT FROM THEM!?"**

"BECAUSE I'M YOUR FRIEND!" shouted Naruto. "I WON'T LET MY FRIEND FALL INTO HATRED! YOU'RE TO IMPORTANT TO ME!"

as Naruto finished that last word, Kurama's paw was sent flying off of him. Naruto stood up.

"Please stop." continued Naruto. A tear rolled down his face. "It hurts to see a friend go through such pain. Please." Kurama was silent.

 **"Who could ever be friends with a demon."** sighed Kurama.

"You're not a demon."

 **"If I'm not a demon or a power source, then what am I too you."** Naruto looked the beast in the eyes. Kurama saw the tears flooding Naruto's face. He never saw someone look at him such a way. Not with such care.

"Didn't you hear me!? You're my friend!" cried Naruto. "Don't you ever forget that!" The whole mindscape was silent. A single tear rolled down the beasts cheek.

"Are you crying?" asked Naruto. Kurama wiped his eyes with one of his tails.

 **"No Brat!"** denied Kurama. Naruto made note of the fox's nickname change. **"You just... spat in my eye."** Naruto smiled.

"Let's just talk about it Kurama." Naruto crosses his legs as he sat in the water. Kurama sat like an animal to no one's surprise.

 **"Thanks, Naruto."**

Fu came to check on Naruto. He knew the Nine Tails could be extremely rough on people. Saying that was a complete understatement. He witnessed first hand how harsh the beast was. He suddenly saw a small continuous glow.

When he reached the area, he was stunned by what he saw. He saw Naruto levitating above a rock. He was golden with the exception of some black markings that ran across his outfit. He started to turn back as he slowly descended on to the rock. He opened his eyes and turned to Fu.

"Uncle Fu?" asked Naruto.

"What did you just do Naruto?" asked Fu.

"I had a talk with Kurama. He feels a lot better. We both agree that it's unfair for my friend to be trapped."

"Let's talk about this later Naruto. I have to leave. This time I'll come back real soon. You have to go back home." After a bit, which Naruto was probably using that bit to ask Kurama his opinion, Naruto agreed.

They arrived back home. Naruto bid Fu goodbye. The next day, Naruto was standing in the clearing. He was in a state of peace. He opened his eyes.

"It's time to work on our attack." stated Naruto.

 ** _'I still think Vengeance Barrage sounds pretty good.'_** suggested Kurama from the mindscape.

"We'll cross the name bridge when we get there."

 ** _'Fair enough.'_** Naruto stomped his foot. Three targets popped out. He held his hand in the air. This time he and Kurama put energy into the attack.

"Nine Tail Blitz!" shouted Naruto as he thrust his hand forward.

 _Temple of Time and Space_

Fu was still taking his time getting back. Shenron saw the pool begin to glow. He knew he couldn't ignore this any longer. He let the image change. The image changed to large yellow eyes.

 **"Mighty Shenron."** said the booming voice.

 **"Supreme Kai of Space."** responded Shenron. **"Is something the matter?"**

 **"There has been a disturbance in time and Space. It could be an attempt to create a convergence."**

 **"I assure you that I have everything under control. You need not worry. I have one of my associates looking into it."**

 **"Since when do you have subordinates?"**

 **"He's a friend. I put high trust in his success. If you'll excuse me, I need some rest."** He switched the image before the Supreme Kai could say anything. Fu returned from the trip.

"They grow up so fast." sighed Fu.

 **"Naruto is experiencing a power he shouldn't have access to yet."** said Shenron. **"It may be a problem."**

"His power level when I first met him was too small for the world. He'll need it if he's to go up against the big players like Vegeta and Frieza since he doesn't have the zenkai boost. Plus he's not from that world. He needs that power. Besides, he'll need the time to master it and I don't think he's gonna learn that power right off the bat. They need to form that level of trust and the situation needs to be dire."

 **"I trust your judgment Fu. It's time to rest."** Fu gave a respectful bow, then left for his temple room. Shenron replayed the moment Fu was talking to Goku.

 _"Unfortunately for me, I've got somewhere to be or else I'd live here in this nice village."_ said Fu in the image.

 **"If you wish it young Fu,"** said Shenron, **"then you shall receive."** The puddle dissipated as the statue's eyes turned green.

 **That's rewritten chapter 1 out of the way. I had to bold a lot of the words in this chapter and fix many of the sentences. Again, not much changes here, save for some added words and commas. Remember to leave a review down below, and I'll respond as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	3. Chapter 2: Wish Granted

**Back again! Well guys, the original version reached ten thousand views. I wish I could've found a way to continue it, but things are the way they are and I don't plan on going back. I've been thinking on the whole Kakarot or Goku debate, and I've come to a decision. I just can't see myself calling him by his saiyan name every new chapter unless a saiyan is saying it.**

 **As such, I will go back through the chapters and change his name back to Goku. If you're reading the other rewritten chapters, then you don't have to worry about going back and reading the chapters again. The same applies to if you just don't care about rereading the chapters for a name change. Also, I hope to get most of the rewritten chapters out before the end of the day. Just letting you know.**

 **Anywho, with no guest reviews to answer, let's get on with chapter 2. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Unknown Building, Unknown Location_

Fu awoke from his slumber. His room was still the same. He had a queen size bed, white carpet, brown bookshelves, and a brown bedside table. Even the suspicious note on his table was the same. He closed his eyes, but then realization struck him.

'Suspicious note?' thought Fu. He sat up as he grabbed the note. He proceeded to open it, curiosity taking over. The contents of it were strange to say the least.

"Enjoy. S." read Fu aloud. The S. probably meant this was Shenron's doing. He got up and switched to his exercise clothes. He opened the door that usually led to the temple.

He was met with a hallway, however. He tried to find any other energies, and found several outside. He walked down it, hesitant at best. The cream walls seemed familiar. He walked down a flight of stairs, Then gasped at what he saw.

He was standing in front of a large living room. He definitely wasn't in the temple any more. The room he was in had a cream colored couch, a matching chair, hardwood floor, a rug, a large TV, and a brown table that sat in front of the seats. He walked over to an open spot. He had discovered the kitchen.

It was a nice sized kitchen. It certainly seemed to fit the building as he saw it. There was a refrigerator that could hold enough food to feed a certain Saiyan, a marble counter, gray tile flooring, a standard microwave, a nice long table with a cream table cloth over it, a dishwasher, a stainless steel sink, and some brown cabinets. He opened the fridge and pulled out an apple. He chowed down on the apple as he made his way to what he assumed to be the laundry room.

It was anything but the laundry room. He stumbled upon a small dojo. It had the same hardwood floor as the living room, a beige mat, some wooden targets, barrels holding various training weapons, and a shrine that resembled the statue form of the Time-Space Shenron with its head over a bowl full of water. He found the laundry room, but the only differences between it and the dojo were a dryer, a washing machine, and some wooden cabinets. Not to mention the lack of weaponry and a dragon shrine.

He stopped his explorations as he heard a sound. A bird was singing, and the melody was beautiful. He listened to the chirping as a thought hit his head. There was only one bird he knew that played that tune. He ran for the front door.

He jerked it open. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was in Konohagakure. In a house of his own! He shut the door as a few people started to walk by.

His back was up against that same door. What was he doing in Konoha? What happened to the temple? He walked into the middle of the floor.

"It's okay Fu." said Fu to himself. "It's not like you're on top of a mountain." As those words left his mouth, the windows flashed slightly. He heard a breeze blow. He walked back to the door.

The house tilted a little as he opened the door. He was on top of a mountain. Like, the tip of it! If he wasn't careful, the house could go sliding down the side. He carefully shut the door.

"First Konoha and now the top of a mountain!" shouted Fu. "What's next? The coast of the Elemental Nations!?" He knew he shouldn't have said that. The windows flashed again.

The house went dark. He tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. As he kept trying, sand landed on his shoulder. He was in the beach, literally!

An idea sparked in his head.

"Above the beach?" requested Fu. The windows flashed. He smirked as he went to check the window. He suddenly found himself in the air as the building began to fall. It only fell for a short amount of time but it was enough for Fu to find himself in midair.

He hit the floor as the house came to a stop. Nothing was damaged, except Fu's pride. He opened the door. It had worked. He was on the beach. He got bold.

"An island off the cost of the continent!" shouted Fu.

The windows flashed blue. That was worrying. Suddenly, water came rushing under the door. Fu landed himself in the ocean.

"I meant on the island!" The windows glew again. He was relieved when water stopped filling the building. He opened the door. He was on island! On top of a tree.

"Sure! Why not!? Just go back to Konoha!" He shut the door as the windows glew again. He suddenly fell to the ceiling.

The entire building was upside down. That was the last straw. He clenched his fists. He looked up to the sky. He deeply inhaled.

"Shenron!" shouted Fu in rage. A moan could be heard throughout the building. The windows glew green. The light enveloped everything. Fu shielded his eyes.

When the light died down, Fu found everything back the way it was when he woke up. He heard a creek. He walked towards the open door. It was a closet with shelves. He picked up a book that read "Time House Manual" on the cover.

He deadpanned at the sight.

"Of course there's a manual." sighed Fu as he slid his hand down his face. He began reading the manual. He was impressed by the functions the building possessed. He was also embarrassed by how many of the do's and don'ts he failed to follow. When he finished reading, he decided to try again.

"Home space Konoha." said Fu. The windows flashed. He opened the door to find himself back in the exact spot he first woke up to. He saw some kids run by. He shut the door.

He thought suddenly got an idea. "Home space, Mt. Pazao." Nothing. He cleared his throat. "Time branch 147, Home space, Mt. Pazao."

The windows flashed. He opened the door to find himself near the clearing where Naruto showed him his new move. He walked outside and breathed in fresh air. He heard the sound of training, telling him a certain knuckle headed fighter was close. He went to his room real quick and switched to his gear.

He ran out the door. He shut it as he heard Naruto scream the name of his Nine Tail Barrage. He rushed to the clearing. He stopped when he saw Naruto sweating. The boy in question was trying to get a better grasp on his chakra.

Kurama told him two years ago that his chakra control could mean the difference between life and death. He was standing over a pool of water he put together. He was trying to keep himself standing on the water. He was surprised when he heard a snap. He turned for half a second, catching a glimpse of Fu before he fell into the pool.

He swam up to the top. He gasped for air as he saw Fu's hand and reached out for it.

"You're moving a little ahead of my schedule kid." stated Fu. "Don't tell me you've already been practicing walking up trees. We haven't even gotten to the important stuff."

"Sorry Uncle Fu." apologized Naruto as he tried to catch his breath. "Kurama was pushing me to get my chakra control down pat. I've got walking up trees down but walking on water still eludes me. I've gotten to where I can stand on it for hours. However, I can only walk on it for twenty seconds."

Fu was impressed to say the least. This early friendship with the Nine Tails has brought a tremendous acceleration in Naruto's development. He's already on his way to the Rassengan stage of training. Plus his martial arts/taijutsu training and Fu's scattered ki lessons are pushing him to new heights. All and all, Fu was pleased.

He roughed Naruto's hair, to which the Jinchuriki smiled. He then wiped his nose. It was a little nippy. Fu knew that Naruto wasn't entirely alright.

"How long have you been doing it?" asked Fu.

"Doing what?" asked Naruto.

"Son Naruto." Naruto sighed.

"Three hours straight." A loud grumbling could be heard throughout the area. "Four." He hanged his head in defeat. Fu kept his frown, but he knew what kind of kid the fox boy was.

"You're coming with me to get some grub." sighed Fu. "I'll let Gohan know where you are since he's probably worried right now." He pulled Naruto along. They made their way over to Fu's new house. He opened the door.

Naruto walked in and sat in the kitchen. Fu later came in with a towel since Naruto was soaking wet. Naruto decided to meditate for awhile as Fu began cooking. He was debating something with Kurama when a bowl of Ichiraku ramen hit the table. Naruto dropped the conversation like a bad habit as he opened his eyes to devour the delicacy.

Fu sat across from the blonde. He knew that something was on Naruto's mind. He knew what request normally came from Naruto wasn't such a problem. More ramen was easy, a new technique was exciting, and Fu's origins were... Well let's just say Naruto made a funny accidental quip about Fu somehow wearing his mom's and his dad's pants at the same time and how awkward that must feel.

The shine in Naruto's eyes told him that this was different, however. Naruto wasn't entirely engulfing the noodles in the bowl. There was something on his mind and once Naruto got like this, it was usually a doozy. He put down the chopsticks. He looked Fu straight in the eyes.

"Did you know my parents?" asked Naruto. Fu sighed. He thought it was gonna be the birds and bees talk. Fu adjusted his glasses. He knew exactly what to answer.

"I had seen them before but I didn't know them personally." answered Fu.

"What were they like?"

"You're father was said to be a great man. He was on par with the leader of your entire village. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing the tales of him. You're mother was a beautiful young woman. Kushina Uzumaki was such a caring woman."

"I know this sounds awkward, but I don't think I'm really from here." That statement caught Fu's attention. "I look at the people when I go on occasional outings with Grandpa. It makes me feel like I don't really fit in. I feel alien."

Fu knew then that Naruto was starting to catch on. Luckily, he planned for this.

"Is it really wrong to feel different?" asked Fu. Naruto tilted his head. "You're not like them Naruto. You're unique. It's part of what I love about you Kit."

Naruto grabbed at the side of his head.

"Kurama wants you to stop using his nicknames." groaned Naruto. "Could you please say yes so he stops ranting loudly in my ear?" Fu chuckled a bit. He hoped to one day meet that dastardly fox. He had so many questions.

Naruto looked around. He stared in a random direction for a moment. His face clearly displayed that he just noticed something. He looked at Fu. His words became jumbled.

"Slow down Sport!" shouted Fu. "What's gotten into ya?"

"Since when do you live close by!?" shouted Naruto. Fu's jaw hit the floor. Naruto just noticed? Could Naruto really be that dense? Wasn't Gohan teaching him martial arts which requires focus and awareness?

Fu sighed. He didn't wanna know the logic behind Naruto's unawareness.

"I don't." plainly stated Fu. "It's a mobile home of sorts. I use it so I can get some good sleep even when there's no civilization." That answer granted Fu a mad look from Naruto. Naruto had a piece of his mind just for his uncle figure.

"How come you didn't take care of me then?" asked Naruto. "You seem to have plenty of room."

"I can't support more people right now Naruto. Otherwise I would have kept you for myself. Plus with how busy I am you would be by yourself most of the time. Do you see any possibility for a newborn boy to take care of himself? Besides, I just got it a while ago."

"You could have mentioned that earlier." Naruto slumped in his chair. He knew it wasn't right for him to accuse Uncle Fu of laziness. He really felt bad. "Sorry."

"Naruto I understand completely what you were getting at. I would be mad too if I was dropped off at some random place by a guy who was fully capable of taking care of me. Just remember to not blow that lid of yours so fast." A grumble interrupted the moment. "I say your up for another bowl of ramen."

Naruto eubbed the back of his head as he held his bowl up. Fu took the bowl and put more ramen in it. After eating, Fu took Naruto back to Grandpa Gohan's place. Naruto received a stern talking from Gohan, but one couldn't stay mad at the little ramen lover. Fu left the building and went back home.

He entered the building when he heard a familiar moan. He entered the dojo, slowly approaching the dragon shrine. A tear dropped from the statue's eye before dropping into the water below. The water in the stone bowl shone brightly as Shenron appeared in it.

 **"How are you liking the accommodations young Fu?"** asked the dragon.

"It was rough to start out." answered Fu.

 **"That's because you didn't read the manual."**

"Hey! I was in shock! You think I'd try to find a manual for a magic house?" The dragon sighed. Kids these days.

 **"You were the one who wanted to live around them. I just gave you the best way to do it that also allowed you to keep up with your job."**

"Speaking of my job, I think it's time I get back to Konoha. I need to train with Goku some. Hopefully he's finally mastered flying."

 **"Young Fu, please remember that anything can happen. You may have to take on extra responsibilities."** Fu knew what was coming.

"Something's gonna happen today isn't it?"

 **"Only time will tell. Farewell."** With that last word, Shenron faded from view. Fu sighed. That dragon sure liked to think that he was mysterious and hard to read.

He looked up at the ceiling as he took a deep breath.

"Time branch 149, Home space Konoha." The windows flashed. He exited the building, but stopped as he took notice of some children nearby.. They were staring at the building with looks of surprise. It made sense that they'd do that since the house just popped up out of thin air. He ignored them as he sensed for Goku's energy.

He soon locked on to his target and flew straight over. He saw Goku standing on the roof of one of the apartments. He decided to try and get the drop on him. He pulled out a kunai. He was about to throw it in his direction.

"Boo!" shouted a voice from behind. Fu gasped and turned with his small blade at the ready. He was relieved to see it was Goku. He guessed that one of them was a shadow clone. He was impressed by Goku's mastery of pranks.

"Well looks like I was right." said Fu. "You're flight training has been coming along very nicely."

"Yep." agreed Goku. "I've mastered the art of flight."

"Then you won't mind showing me your progress starting from take off." Goku smiled. The boy disappeared in a puff of smoke. Fu turned to the roof. The other Goku also vanished.

Fu was played. If it weren't Goku he'd be ticked about it. He flew over to their usual training spot. He descended to the ground in front of Goku. Goku was snickering the whole time.

"Okay monkey king." said Fu. "Show me your progress." Goku frowned. He didn't like being called a monkey. He just ignored Fu as he powered up.

He began to float in the air. He steadied himself as he looked to Fu with a smirk on his face. They were eye to eye. He crossed his arms in victory.

"Told you I've mastered..." started Goku before he was suddenly thrusted into the air. He screamed flight as he tried to get a hold of himself. He finally stopped ascending. When it became clear that he wasn't going to fall, Fu flew up to him. The man was laughing the whole way.

"Yeah." laughed Fu. "You've so got it down pat." Goku puffed his cheeks as he waited for Fu to stop laughing. When Fu finally stopped laughing, Goku pulled out a kunai. Fu smirked as he pulled out his sword.

"Once I beat you in this spar, how about you teach me something new?" proposed Goku.

"Since you still have a bit of time to go before I can show ya something new, if you win I'll take ya to Ichiraku's." answered Fu. Goku smiled.

"HECK YEAH!" He flew at Fu, holding the blade behind him. They clashed blades on multiple occasions. When Goku dropped his kunai they switched to taijutsu. Goku put his fingers together.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" shouted Goku. Puffs of smoke appeared out of thin air. Fu was suddenly surrounded by nineteen Goku clones. He smirked as he once again pulled out his sword. The clones instantly rushed him.

He would cut some and punch others. He was trying to work his way down to the original. He didn't like using his blade against Goku, but in all honesty he was doing it out of respect for Goku's ingenuity. He was down to one last clone. He slashed it down the middle.

He looked around. The smoke from the destroyed shadow clones began to dissipate. Goku was nowhere in site. His energy seemed to disappear. He found Goku too late as the child disarmed him and kicked him to the roof.

Fu was on his hands and knees. Goku was amazing. The kid was becoming clever. He feared for those who would be his enemies. He saw a hand stretched out to him.

"You promised." stated Goku. Fu chuckled as Goku helped him up.

"Ichiraku's it is." said Fu. Goku flew off to the stand. Fu quickly caught up to him. They quickly took their seats and began to chow down. Goku was going through his fifth bowl when he felt a familiar presence.

"Goku!" shouted a familiar voice. Goku turned to see Lee land on the ground behind them. "My eternal friend! I challenge you to a sparring match! No holds barred!"

Goku looked at how many bowls he had left, before turning to Fu. The man knew what Goku was trying to say. He pulled out some yen and placed it on the table.

"We're gonna need six to go bowls for the rest of these!" shouted Fu. Mr. Ichiraku quickly scooped the ramen into the plastic disposable bowls. He handed the bag to Fu. Fu watched as Goku and Lee ran for one of the training grounds. It was definitely like Goku to not show off too much unless he was in the mood to showboat.

Fu flew over head, not wanting to be left behind.. He finally caught up to the two. They were doing stretches before the match. Fu landed on a study branch, curious at how this would go. He grabbed his bowl of ramen as he sat down.

Lee and Goku both entered their fighting stances. All was silent, save for Fu eating his ramen. Neither fighter moved a muscle, the tension in the air rising. A bird took flight nearby. Lee suddenly ran at Goku to the pace of the bird's wings.

He kicked Goku square in the gut, a pained expression finding its way to the boy's face. Goku grabbed his leg and pulled him overhead. Lee caught himself before he hit the ground. He flung his leg back pulling Goku along for the ride. Goku grunted as he was flung face first into a nearby tree.

He turned and launched himself at Lee. He sent rapid punches at his youthful friend, trying to break through the boy's guard. Lee was having a hard time blocking all the hits. He was sent flying by one of Goku's kicks. Lee caught himself once again.

He jumped at Goku. He entered a flying kick.

"Dynamic Entry!" shouted Lee as he flew at Goku. The hit seemed to connect as Goku was sent flying. Suddenly, the monkey boy hung in the air. Lee was in shock as his friend stayed still in the air. He then floated upright, making Lee's jaw drop.

Goku smirked at Lee's surprised face. He slowly flew to his friend. He got faster as he approached Lee. He suddenly reached impressive speeds as he rammed straight into the youthful boy. Lee was on his knees holding his gut.

He looked up at Goku, the boy still smiling at his success. How was it possible? Goku was flying! That shouldn't be possible.

"How?" asked Lee.

"Remember that special training I do?" asked Goku. Lee slowly shook his head as he got up from the ground. "I've been training to use ki. It's one of the energies that make up chakra. Uncle Fu's my sensei."

As if on cue, Fu jumped down from the tree. He was slowly clapping. He approached the duo. He stopped as he smacked Goku in the back of the head.

"You went too hard on him." scolded Fu.

"But it was no holds barred!"

"You still could have held back a bit."

"It's fine." interrupted Lee. He looked at Goku. "Thank you for not holding back. I need to do more if I want to surpass you."

Fu was surprised. This kid was determined. Goku went all out to show respect. He noticed Lee looking at him. Lee took a respectful bow.

"Grand Master Fu!" shouted Lee. "Please train me in the way of Ki!" Fu didn't know what to say. Was this what Shenron meant. He turned to Goku, the saiyan shrugging in response.

"Can I talk with you for a minute?" asked Fu.

"Wait right here Lee." said Goku as he followed Fu.

When they were at a safe distance, Fu began to freak out. Someone requested his teaching. Him! Sure he's been teaching Goku and Naruto, but someone else was a completely different story.

"I don't know if I can do it." admitted Fu. "With you I know what to do, but he's an unknown. I can't do it." Goku was annoyed. Normally this kind of thing didn't bother him, but Lee was his friend.

There was no way Uncle Fu wasn't at least gonna try.

"Let me put it this way Uncle Fu." started Goku. "Lee is an understanding guy. If you can't teach him, just let him know. His senpai, Guy, will probably give him some speech about how he doesn't need ki because he's so 'youthful.' You won't know until you try, however, and I'm not about to let you turn my friend down."

Fu saw what Goku was getting at. He wouldn't know till he tried. Plus, Lee would probably keep going until he said yes. He knew what he had to do. They returned to find Lee doing push-ups.

He rocketed up and ran to them.

"Grand Master Fu!" shouted Lee. "I'll repeat my earlier request! Please train me in the ways of ki!" Fu knew he'd never get used to that. He cleared his throat.

"Not all people can use ki." stated Fu. Lee looked down. It was too good to be true. "If you really want to learn how to use it, then I'm gonna have to test you to see if you even can. Be at my new mobile home tomorrow."

Fu flew off. Goku turned to Lee and gave him a huge smile. Lee began to cry, at which Goku deadpanned. Why was Lee such a cry baby?

"You'll want to start training for tomorrow." stated Goku. "It won't be easy to keep up." Goku flew off in another direction. Lee looked to the sky. He suddenly began doing laps around the training ground.

The next day, Fu was polishing his sword. He knew that today would either make or break a kid's day. Goku had already arrived, wanting to be there for his friend. They were waiting for the last guest. Fu got a strange feeling and opened one of the windows.

"Dynamic Entry!" shouted Lee as he flew into the building. Fu's feeling was correct because if he didn't open the window, there'd be glass everywhere. Lee stood at attention. "I'm ready for the test Grand Master Fu!" Fu really hated that title.

"The thing that concerns me is that your ki may be blocked by your chakra. I'll have to limit your chakra to certain areas." Lee took a step back.

"But if you do that I won't be able to live!"

"You shinobi and your one track mind. Chakra isn't your life force kid. Ki, one of the energies that make up chakra, is your life force. Even if your chakra can't flow through your network, ki flows throughout the entire body."

"I understand now! I'm ready and willing!" Fu led them to the dojo. He grabbed a scroll, then began to read over it a few times to understand the procedure. He then stepped towards Lee.

He blocked some chakra points. Then he used a seal that unlocks potential. He modified the seal to unlock ki. He then began activating the seal.

"Just so you know, if you feel drained as this happens it means you have nothing to pull from." stated Fu. "If you start to feel drained let me know."

"Yes Grand..." started Lee.

"Call me Grand Master one more time and I swear..."

"Sorry!" The seal began to glow. Everyone was silent. Nothing was happening. Suddenly, Goku jerked like he caught something Fu hadn't noticed yet.

"That power!" shouted Goku. Fu tried to sense Lee. He was suddenly overwhelmed by Lee's ki. For someone who isn't saiyan and had no prior knowledge of ki, he certainly had a lot of said energy. He walked towards Lee as the seal disappeared. Lee looked up in confusion.

"Did it really work?" asked Lee.

"Only one way to find out." answered Fu. "Goku!" Goku created a ball of ki in his hand. He thrusted it at Lee, creating a small explosion.

The smoke began to clear, causing Fu to smirk. He didn't need to see to tell the results. Lee was still standing. The boy looked down at his ash covered arms.

"You'll come here at this exact time every day that I'm in Konoha." ordered Fu. "We'll start out slow then work our way up to the powerful stuff." Lee began to cry. "If you cry I'll reconsider." Lee suddenly wiped his eyes in response.

He entered a very respectful bow.

"Thank you Fu-Sensei!" shouted Lee. Fu looked at the boy. He actually liked the sound of that. He turned to walk away, waving Lee off.

"Go home and get some rest."

"Yes Sensei!" Lee rushed out the door. Goku looked to Fu. He knew Lee could do it. Somehow, he had a feeling that Lee had hidden potential.

"Let's get something to eat Goku." said Fu as he got down a bowl.

"Ichiraku's?" asked Goku.

"Cake."

"For what occasion?"

"I've become a teacher. I think you're determination for your friend deserves something." Goku sat at the table as Fu prepared the desert. They spent the rest of the day talking about recent events. Unknown to them, someone was watching.

A strange man stood on a branch. The only detail noticeable in the dark of night was that of his black trench coat and bronze scabbard. He looked in the window, then looked down at a holographic rectangle. Fu had readings that screamed Shenron.

"I've confirmed the identity of Shenron's little friend." stated the stranger. "Should I move to engage?"

 _"Negative."_ denied a robot voice over the communicator. _"Anyone affiliated with the Shenron of Time and Space is considered an ally until proven otherwise. Continue vigilant watch."_

"Understood. Caliban out." The stranger known as Caliban flew off into the night.

 **That's chapter 2 rewritten. I plan to keep Goku on Team 7 with Kakashi and the others. That part I can't go back on. That team is just too perfect to mess with in my mind. Anywho, remember to leave a review down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	4. Chapter 3: Helping Friends

**Here we go. Time to rewrite chapter 3. This is a chapter where I made a few mistakes but never got around to fixing them. I'm glad to say that they will most definitely be fixed with this rewrite. With that out of the way, let's answer the one guest review.**

 **Guest: Don't worry, they'll definitely be good friends. I don't wanna mess up that team dynamic.**

 **Anywho, let the rewriting begin! I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Ichiraku's, Konoha_

Usually Goku would be eating at Ichiraku's with Lee, Uncle Fu, or Grandpa Hiruzen. Today, however, he was on his own. Grandpa was doing boring Hokage stuff and Uncle Fu was training Lee right now. He didn't like being alone, but he didn't blame them. It was his fault that Uncle Fu started teaching Lee and Grandpa had to do the boring stuff so that others wouldn't have to.

He heard commotion over by the Hyūga compound, a malevolent energy coming from that way. He placed the yen given to him by Grandpa on the counter as he ran to the scene. He noticed a man with a kunai walking up to the little girl he knew as Hinata Hyūga. Goku got a good look at the girl as he watched from above.

Hinata had raven colored hair she kept short and the clan signature dojutsu, the Byakugan. She wore a cream-colored hooded-jacket with a fire symbol on the upper sleeves and fur around the cuffs and hem. Along with this she wears navy blue pants and keeps her forehead protector around her neck. The man drew closer, twisting the blade in his hand.

"I will have the Byakugan little Hyūga." whispered the man. Hinata whimpered. If she screamed he would hurt her clan, but he was gonna take her eyes. Was she really worthy of being the Hyūga heiress? She took a frightened step back.

"You really gonna let me slaughter your whole family?" Hinata gasped. Knowing full well the man was taking advantage of Hinata's compassion and love of her family, Goku sprung into action.

"Not gonna happen!" shouted a Goku. Both parties looked over to find a small army of Goku Toyotomi rushing at them. The man just stood there wide eyed. A group of them began to pummel him as the original jumped over to Hinata.

"Come on!" Hinata did as told, not wanting to die today. They ran for the Hokage Mansion as the man gave chase. They were almost there when the assailant jumped in front of them.

They stood in that alley, sizing each other up. Goku and the man continued stared at each other. Goku suddenly smirked as he looked up. The man rushed at him, wanting to take advantage of the boy's distracted state. He stopped, however, as found himself surrounded by what seemed to be one hundred of the annoying kid.

"Time out." laughed the man nervously. Goku pointed at him with a glare.

"Get him!" shouted Goku. The entire village could hear the man's pain filled screams. Some Anbu arrived to find Goku comforting Hinata. One wearing a bird mask stepped forward. He understood the situation.

"Arrest that man immediately." ordered The lead ANBU. The man awoke as the ANBU picked him up. "You are charged with assault on a child, the heiress of one of the largest clans in the village no less, and attempting to steal her dojutsu. Take him away." The man pleaded his innocence to Itachi as he was dragged away.

The bird masked man stretched his hand out to Hinata. "Are you alright?" Hinata shook her head.

"He threatened to hurt my family." answered Hinata. "I'm not strong enough to do anything." Goku rubbed her head. She looked up to see him smile, slightly blushing at his close proximity.

"A kid with such a big heart is hard to come by." stated Goku. "Do you want to get stronger?" Hinata hesitantly shook her head. "That settles it. I'm gonna train with ya to make sure that happens."

Goku stared at the ANBU captain for a bit. The captain knew Goku. The kid meant what he said. The man wouldn't stop him, knowing full well just how badly the girl needed the help. He turned to one of the other ANBU.

"Keep an eye on them, and don't let harm befall them." said the lead ANBU. The dragon masked ANBU nodded in response. The ANBU captain jumped off. Goku smirked as he ANBU turned his attention them.

"You can take off the mask now Uncle." said Goku. The Anbu laughed as he removed his mask, revealing himself to indeed be Fu.

"Man are your energy reading skills off the charts kid." laughed Fu. "I'm gonna have to start hiding my energy when I want to surprise you." Goku and Hinata stood up as Fu began to fly. Goku hunched over in front of Hinata.

"Get on Hinata." said Goku. Hinata hopped on Goku's back. He flew after his adopted Uncle, Hinata holding on tight as not to fall off. They arrived at Fu's magic house. They made their way to the dojo.

Fu brought over a gi. It was purple with his logo on the front right of the top. Accompanying it was a dark blue t-shirt, a yellow sash, and black shoes with white cloth around the entrance. He handed the outfit to Hinata. She looked to him in confusion.

"First thing your gonna do is wear something more proper for training." answered Fu. "That jacket can't be too comfortable during the summer. I'll warn you this once. The shirt is weighted. It'll help you train."

Hinata stepped into another room. She came out later wearing the uniform. Goku smiled as she looked to him. He had swapped his casual orange shirt for a weighted one with a black version of his uncle's logo. Hinata walked over to the guys.

"You look like a real fighter Hinata." commented Goku. Hinata blushed deeply at those words.

"Th...thank you Goku-kun." thanked Hinata. Fu smiled at the honorific.

"Alright Goku, you'll have to take it back a huge notch since Hinata's just starting." instructed Fu.

"Got it!" said Goku with a thumbs up. Fu sat in meditation, motioning for Goku and Hinata to join him. They both entered the same pose, albeit Hinata started to but decided she was too close to Goku and moved before she sat. Fu held his hands overlapping each other.

"We'll start with an explanation. I'm sure you've heard about chakra." Hinata nodded in confirmation. "Well today we'll learn about the one of the energies that make up chakra. Ki is the spiritual aspect of Chakra, and the life force of all living things.."

He suddenly looked to Goku, then to Hinata. He quickly turned his gaze back to Goku. "Why don't you show her sport?" Goku obliged as he created a sphere of ki. Hinata was mesmerized. How could Goku-kun produce a ball of light with his hands?

She reached out to touch it. "Wouldn't do that if I were you. It could hurt you." Hinata jerked back. She noticed the look on Goku's face, then blushed as she realized how close she had leaned in.

Fu got an idea as Hinata returned to her position. "Why don't you look at it with your Byakugan?"

Hinata hesitated, but then activated her dojutsu. She was stunned to say the least. No chakra was entering the sphere. She looked up as the orb dissipated to see Goku with a shocked face.

"I made you go blind!" shouted Goku. Hinata blinked a few times. Fu tried to hold back a laugh. Hinata blushed, her eyes went back to normal.

"That was just my byakugan." said Hinata. "It allows me to see the chakra flow of a person, even if their in a different room or far away." She saw Goku's eyes go starry.

"That's awesome! I wish I could do that!" Fu cleared his throat.

"In addition to the chakra flow, if my hypothesis is correct, you should be able to view the ki of a person in a visual way as well. Now Hinata, I need to do a test. If you can pass it, it means we can teach you to use ki."

"A...and if I f...f...fail?" asked Hinata.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." He then proceeded to use the seal test he used on Lee. He gave her the same warning about feeling exhaustion. He then activated it. Hinata suddenly began to feel weary.

She kept quiet, desperately trying to cling on. Fu started to see it in her face. He started felt something emanating from the Hyuga, however. It was like a spark was trying to ignite. It suddenly roared into a small flame.

He looked into her eyes. It was almost as if they were starting to change color. The seal finished, dissipating in an instant. Hinata tried to keep herself from falling, but she couldn't stop herself. Goku caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Is she okay!?" asked Goku with concern. Hinata moaned as she regained her energy.

"What happened?" asked Hinata. Goku set her down on a mat. Fu could still sense the small fire burning. There was a familiar feeling to this, but he couldn't quite place it. He looked down at Hinata.

"Despite my warning you waited out the pull." sighed Fu. "You could have ended your life here and now." Hinata frowned. She really was weak. "What happened after the seal finished intrigued me."

She looked at the purple man with confused eyes.

"There's a small fire burning deep in there. It's so familiar, but it's so small I can't place where I've felt it before. Nevertheless, it is ki. I think special training sessions at this time of day should do wonders for the weeks ahead. Goku, you'll be here to support her ok?"

"I said I'd train with her so why wouldn't I?" answered Goku. Hinata was touched. No one ever helped her this much. They were even gonna go beyond what they just did. She went home that night with a huge smile on her face.

The next day, Goku and Uncle Fu were sparring. Hinata had yet to show. Goku threw a hard right, which Uncle fu blocked, He was about to go in for a kick, but stopped as he felt a familiar energy accompanied by an unknown. They stopped when they heard a knock at the door.

Fu answered to find Hinata standing there with another child standing beside her. The boy had long brown hair tied in a ponytail, and the Byakugan. He wore a beige-colored shirt, a dull blue shirt beneath that, and mesh armor beneath that. He wore dark brown shorts, blue shinobi sandals, and wrapped bandages around his right arm, chest, and right leg. Hinata looked sad as she wore her previous outfit.

"Greetings. Are you Fu?" asked the child with Hinata.

"That would be me." answered Fu. Hinata looked at the kid like she was telling him to stop.

"I'm afraid that the clan cannot allow her to participate in this training. She has far better teachers at the compound." Goku bursted in front of his uncle.

"Says who!?" shouts Goku.

"Says the clan, which includes me."

"And who says you can tell Hinata what she wants? In all honesty she looked relieved to be out of that hot and sweaty jacket. Do you want her to burn up!"

"I'm her protector, Neji Hyūga. If you are upset, don't be. It was fated that she wouldn't learn here." Neji was grabbed by the collar. Hinata gasped.

"To heck with fate! If she wants to train with us then let her, if not then fine! Fate is just a bunch of mumbo jumbo to either put you down or make you cocky!" Neji pushed him off. "Hinata, get your gi on."

Hinata whispered. Neji looked at him.

"There you have it. She said no." Goku looked at her disheartened. After unlocking that fire, she was just gonna stop 'cause someone told her too. From the smile she had on her face when she ran home, she looked excited to do more.

"No Neji." said Hinata a little louder than last time.

"Excuse me?"

"I want to do this, but they took my gi away."

"They were unworthy of an heiress."

"That gives you no right to take what's mine. I want them back." Goku smirked. That's the real Hinata. The one that hides behind her timid shy persona.

"Think about my words Hinata. If their unworthy of an heiress, then where do you think they went." Hinata started to tear up. "They were most likely burned." Goku didn't give Hinata the time to cry as he kicked Neji in the jaw.

Uncle Fu stepped in the way.

"Hold on there sport." soothed Fu. "I have more gis where that came from."

"I don't care." growled Goku. "They try to keep her from doing what she wants, make her wear a big jacket all year round, they take her new clothes and burn them, and now they make a friend cry. This...is...personal." Fu knew there was no stopping Goku. If he did, it would just come out later.

"How about this. I propose a match. If Neji wins, we let this all go. If you win, Hinata has her way." Goku frowned even more.

"But Hinata still doesn't have a say if..." Goku's argument was cut off by a hand on his shoulder. Hinata looked at him. She was placing her trust in his hands. Neji stood up.

"I accept." said Neji. "I'm fated to win today." Goku growled. Fu motioned them to come inside. When they were all inside, Fu decided to show off some magic.

"Take us to a wasteland where we won't be bothered." ordered Fu. The windows flashed. He walked outside. The children followed him into what seemed to be a rocky area. Fu looked around, which meant he was searching for familiar energy.

'We didn't even leave the time branch.' thought Fu as he turned to the kids. "Here are the rules. No killing or disembodiment. Goku, no flight unless necessary. Other than that go all out."

Both combatants nodded, albeit Neji was confused about the no flight rule. They distanced themselves from each other. When they were far enough, each got into a fighting stance. Hinata stood beside Fu as he refereed the match. A single, lone breeze blew threw the land.

"Hajime!" shouted Fu. Goku rushed Neji. The Hyuga blocked Goku's arm as he swung it at him. He was shocked by the force Goku was exerting. You'd think he was trying to stop a large boulder.

He was brought out of his shock when Goku gave him a kick to the gut. Goku wrapped his tail around Neji's ankle, causing the boy to gasp for air. He tripped Neji and sent him flying with a punch. Neji barely caught himself as Goku backfliped and once again entered his stance. Neji pulled out a kunai as he rushed Goku.

Goku pulled out his kunai in return to block the weapon. They clashed blades for a bit until Goku grabbed Neji's arm and threw him overhead. Neji grabbed the back of Goku's head and pulled him around. He kicked Goku to the side, bringing a pained expression to the boy's face. He pushed Neji away before throwing a punch.

They clashed fists for a bit, neither breaking a sweat. Neji stabbed Goku in the arm, eliciting a sharp yelp from the saiyan. Hinata almost ran to stop the match, but Fu held his hand out. Hinata looked closer to see Goku smiling. Neji took a step back as Goku dissipated into a puff of smoke.

Neji jumped away quickly as two large fire balls came straight at him. He looked to see two of Goku standing side by side. They smirked.

"How is this possible!?" asked Neji. "You shouldn't be able to use that jutsu. It's Jonin level!"

"I've been training with the Hokage a lot." answered Goku's voice from behind him. He turned to see five more Goku clones standing in wait. "Once I saw him do it and I just picked up the technique. Truth be told I had to work hard to master it. I'm not gonna go easy on the jerk that messed with my friend."

More Gokus appeared from behind surrounding rock formations. Neji had underestimated his foe. A mistake that might defy... No. It was his fate to win.

He prepared himself as the clone army ran at him. He had no other choice. He shifted into a new stance, causing Hinata to gasp. A few Goku's stopped in their tracks, probably waiting to see what was going on. He spun around.

"Five trigrams seven palms!" shouted Neji as he seemingly formed a barrier around himself. The barrier made the shadow clones that did run at him disappear. The last one remaining managed to touch his shoulder. It was then that Goku discerned the weakness of the technique. He made more clones and ran for him again, this time not stopping.

Neji repeated the move. A bunch of Goku clones dissipated into smoke. Two Goku's got through, however, and hit him square in the face. He flew back for a bit. He landed on the ground.

Goku stood victorious, or so he thought. Suddenly, a line of energy seemed to flow through Neji's head. A burst of dark energy rose from Neji. Fu knew what was going on. He had to stop this here and now.

Neji rose into the air and flew at Goku. He had Goku on the ground. Fu prepared to make his move, but something caught his attention. Neji pulled out a kunai, raising it in the air. He was suddenly knocked off of Goku.

He looked up, expecting a Goku clone or that stupid Uncle. He was shocked when he saw Hinata's jacket go flying. Hinata had her head down, her black sleeveless shirt visible. Neji growled at the heiress. What was she doing!?

"This is my fight Hinata!" barked Neji. "Stay out of it!" Fu suddenly felt a huge ki spike come from their direction. It was Hinata's fire and it was burning brightly.

"STOP IT!" shouted Hinata as she was engulfed in ki. She ran at Neji, fury in her eyes. He raised his hand to block, but she was too fast. She gave him a huge punch to the cheek. He fell to the ground, a pain ringing through his head.

He slowly got up. He spat something out of his mouth. It was one of his teeth accompanied by blood. The dark energy engulfed him again. He was about to take a step forward.

"You're supposed to be my protector!" shouted Hinata as she kicked Neji away. "That means you're forbidden to harm me." Neji's eyes widened. She was right. Being the clan heiress, he wasn't allowed to let harm come to her, let alone harm her himself.

"So either you give in, or you fight me. Which is it Neji? The clan's honor, or fate?" Neji grabbed his head. A force was telling him to go with option B.

He couldn't, however, because he was tasked with Hinata's protection. He fought with himself. No, this wasn't himself. Something... someone was pushing him, using him. He started to pull at the hair on the side of his head.

He screamed as he pushed the outside influence out of his head. The dark energy dissipated, leaving Neji an unconscious shell. He fell to the ground. Hinata followed suit, not used to the huge power boost or the attitude she just displayed. Fu caught both children.

Goku ran over to him, worried about his friend.

"What just happened!?" shouted Goku. Fu ignored him as he continued to ask questions. He didn't want to answer any questions right now. He knew he didn't like what it would mean. He looked at Hinata, the space between his eyes wrinkling.

Why did she have that power? What secret does the Hyūga clan hide? Fu couldn't even begin to describe how this all made him feel. Not wanting to hear Goku repeat himself or see if the person responsible is who he thinks it is, Fu flew back to his house with both Hyūga youths in his arms.

Hours later, Neji awoke. He groaned as he held his head. He suddenly remembered the recent events, feeling stupid for letting someone else control him. He looked around frantically until his eyes found Hinata. She was on a mat next to him with a wet cloth over her forehead.

He turned when he heard a door slide open. Fu entered the room.

"What happened to her?" asked Neji.

"She tapped into a lot of energy." answered Fu. "She wasn't even trained in how to control it and yet she used it to increase her strength. It was at the cost of all her energy, however. If you hadn't got a hold of yourself and actually attacked her, she'd have been helpless." Neji looked over to Hinata again.

He felt his cheek. The tooth really was gone. Fu suddenly handed him a bean.

"Eat this. It should fix you right up." Neji was hesitant, but whatever Fu was teaching made Hinata strong enough and fast enough to surprise him so he decided to go ahead. He ingested the bean. Instantly, his energy was restored and the pain in his jaw was go...

His tooth was back!

"What was that!?"

"That was a senzu bean. They have amazing healing capabilities. People with far worst injuries have recovered with it. It has even saved people from the brink of death. They're extremely rare."

Hinata groaned. Neji looked over to her. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Hinata to have such power. If this man's training could make her that strong in one day, then that means he for once in his life owes someone an apology. Sure the power appeared in a rage burst, but that was still power that could be accessed without anger.

Neji stood up and bowed respectfully.

"I apologize." stated Neji. "I didn't recognize your talent and I quickly misjudged your teaching. I hope for no bad blood between our two clans." Fu smirked.

"So you're gonna let Hinata have her way?!" asked a voice from the next room over. Fu walked in the direction of the voice. He opened a sliding door to see Goku standing there with a glass to his ear. Goku stood there for a few minutes before realizing that he was caught. He giggled as he handed Fu the cup.

"There's still one requirement." Goku frowned. "I must keep an eye on her to ensure her safety. Therefore, you will be expecting both of us at the appointed time." Goku smirked. Neji just wanted to see how Hinata got stronger.

"Then the verdict falls to Hinata." proclaimed Fu. "You can stop pretending to sleep and give us your answer." Hinata blushed as her eyes ripped open. She sat up quickly. Trying to gain some composure, she slowly stood up and looked at the group.

"I will continue to learn from master Fu." answered Hinata with a determined look in her eyes. Neji bowed his head in acceptance. Fu's smirk turned into a huge grin. Hinata looked over to Goku. She tilted her head due to the look on Goku's face.

"You both went blind!" shouted Goku. The others deadpanned.

'Not that different from the original time.' thought Fu as he shook his head with a smile.

'I technically lost to this idiot.' thought Neji as he slid his hand down his face.

'I just explained this yesterday.' thought Hinata as she tried to hold back her laughter. Laughter filled the room, but it didn't belong to the usual suspects. Hinata looked at the origin of the laughter. Neji was actually laughing. Goku frowned in response.

"What's so funny!?" shouted Goku.

"Here I thought you were some kind of genius!" laughed Neji.

"And I thought you were mister serious." Neji frowned as Goku grinned. Later, Hinata obtained a new version of the outfit she lost. Her and Neji bowed as they exited the building and made way for home. "See ya tomorrow guys!"

They trained for weeks. Whenever Goku wasn't training on his own or with Uncle Fu and Hinata, he actually hung out with Neji. At first, Neji was a little cold. One day, however, Neji initiated a conversation that wasn't about Hinata's training or fate. Since then, the two have become relatively good friends.

Thanks to Goku, and Hinata too, Neji made a decision. On the day he fought Goku, he was determined that fate would make him the victor. He was proven wrong when Goku basically won. Then there was that mysterious energy that seemed to defy what he began to accept as his fate. After Hinata knocked him out of it, he decided that fate cannot be determined, but of course he still didn't believe in making your own fate.

Back on the subject of Goku, currently he was walking to the Uchiha estate. He was hoping to see Mr. Itachi about some special ninja training. He approached the compound , but stopped in his tracks. He felt several energy signatures suddenly snap out of existence. More joined them in a matter of seconds.

He didn't need to turn the corner to tell that there was a slaughter going on. He flew over the wall beside him. He quickly made for a small house. He felt a sudden energy drop. The one he deemed responsible was heading for a few very small signatures.

They were children. Toddlers that definitely couldn't defend themselves. This had to stop now, before anyone else got hurt. He rushed into the room where the children were. The little ones were fast asleep.

Goku turned to see a sliding door open. He sighed as he saw Itachi enter the room. He was about to tell him what was going on, but he hesitated. There was no way that Itachi could've killed the murderer. The energy didn't...

"What are you doing here Goku?" asked Itachi. Goku couldn't believe it. Itachi was the murderer. He was killing his own clan. Goku couldn't understand why Itachi would do it, but he felt a sad feeling flow off him.

"Why Itachi?" asked Goku. "These are your people. Your family. Your killing them when I know you don't want to. Please tell me why."

Itachi frowned. He activated his Sharingan, the clan kekei genkai. Goku stood still as the world turned red.

"I'm sorry Goku." apologized Itachi as one thousand versions of him stabbed at Goku. The boy still frowned, but there was no cry of agony. Now Itachi was confused. "Are you not in pain? How is that..."

"It must be hard. Turning against everyone you love. Killing them off. I know you don't want to do this, but I can't stop you how I am now. Stop now before you go too far."

Suddenly, Goku puffed out of existence. Itachi should have expected that, but for a shadow clone to last that long just to give him that speech. If only Goku knew the reasoning behind all this. A thought suddenly crossed his mind. He exited the illusion and looked to where the children were sleeping.

One would expect him to get upset at being played, but he smiled. Goku had used the shadow clone to distract him while the original or another clone grabbed the children. Itachi was happy to have less blood on his conscience. He frowned as he remembered why he couldn't take Goku's advice. He looked to the window that Goku obviously escaped from.

"Thank you, and forgive me my friend." Itachi went to finish the job. Hours later, Sasuke Uchiha sat crying as he waited for the ANBU to arrive. Itachi killed them. Their parents, the children, all of their clan members were gone.

He remembered Itachi's words plain and simple.

 _"I can see the hatred in your eyes." said Itachi as he looked at his little brother. "Let it fester and grow. Then come find me, and kill me." He disappeared into a puff of smoke. Sasuke screamed into the sky._

Sasuke barely noticed the ANBU come in and comfort him. The ninja picked up Sasuke and went straight for the Hokage Mansion. The Anbu brought the boy before the Hokage. Hiruzen truly looked saddened by Sasuke's condition. He waved to the ANBU, cuing the ninja to leave them be.

"I'm truly sorry for your loss Sasuke Uchiha." said Hiruzen. "I can't even begin to imagine what it felt like. The man responsible will be brought to justice. I will make it one of the primary objectives to..." He stopped talking as Sasuke growled.

"You think all this will help me!" growled Sasuke. "My entire clan is gone! Slain by one of our own, my own brother! You'll never understand my pain! You'll never know what it's like to be the last of your people!"

The door creaked as someone bursted into the room.

"Who said you were the last?" asked a voice. Sasuke turned with tears in his eyes towards the door. His eyes widened when he saw Goku Toyotomi with three young Uchihas. Hiruzen was surprised as well. Sasuke ran to check the children.

"How did you..."

"I was in the area when I saw the attack happen. I could only save these three. I'm sorry I couldn't save more of them." Sasuke looked into Goku's eyes. Hiruzen walked over to the group.

"You increased the clan's chance of survival and rescued some children from a huge mess." said Hiruzen. He rubbed Goku's head. "You could have died out there young man. Itachi is now labeled a S class criminal. Nevertheless, you have my thanks and gratitude Goku."

Sasuke gave Goku a nod that meant "I agree with most of that." Goku smirked at his good deed. Hiruzen got straight to work trying to find homes for the orphan Uchiha children. Sasuke was to be given an apartment, but he declined and decided to stay at the Uchiha estate. That didn't sit right with Goku.

Something else that didn't sit right with Goku, was the fact that there was stil one question Uncle Fu left unanswered. He knew that it was wrong to change the subject from a serious matter to a simple curiosity, but Uncle Fu constantly dodged the question. Goku had heard Uncle Fu talk about another little boy he cares for. Whenever Goku asked about him, Uncle Fu would find some way to escape the question entirely. He knew his Uncle couldn't keep the secret forever and, unknown to him, his uncle was having a little chat about the situation right now.

 _Fu's POV_

Fu activated the shrine. A tear dropped into the bowl. A moan filled the building. The Shenron of Space and Time appeared in the reflection. He groaned. The eyes of the statue glew.

 **"Why do you ask for me young Fu?"** asked the mighty dragon.

"Goku's starting to catch on about Naruto's existence." answered Fu. "He doesn't know about the swap or that Naruto's in another time branch, but he's continuously questioning me about him. I can't evade him forever. What should I do? He just won't settle for Naruto's name."

The dragon was silent for a moment.

 **"There is only one thing we can do. We must let them meet."**

"Isn't that risky?"

 **"There is no telling how fast the process will speed up, but it's the only way. Hold out your wrist."** Fu did as commanded. A watch appeared on his wrist. It had two rings on it.

Each one had the same amount of time on it. Within each ring was a digital display that showed the age.

"What's the second ring for?"

 **"It is to tell you what time it is in this world. The display will help you to determine which age it is in each world. With how smooth things have been going, they've stayed at the same age. The problem is that there's no telling how much time will pass with an imbalance. This watch will help make sure you won't be gone for too long to upset the balance."**

Fu bowed as the dragon disappeared from the bowl.

 _Goku's POV_

He came as soon as Uncle Fu flared his energy. There were only two reasons he did that. Either there was trouble or he had some important news. He hoped that this case was the latter. He barged in the door.

"Is everything okay Uncle Fu?" asked Goku.

"Everything's fine Goku." answered Fu. "I have an announcement for you. I'm taking you with me for some special training." Goku grinned from ear to ear. He jumped mid air.

"Yes!"

"It may not feel like it, but we'll be gone for a long while. It may even be a year." Goku frowned.

"A whole year? What about the others?"

"I've already set up a training regime for them while I'm gone and Grandpa Hiruzen already knows about this arrangement. You'll stay with me tonight. Then we'll head off." Goku nodded. "Well don't just stand there! You have to get ready!"

Goku quickly flew to the Hokage Mansion. He was preparing for the long trip. He packed all the essentials. His toothbrush, toothpaste, 12 bowls of Ichiraku's to go, some clothes to change into, and some weights he uses to train. He sealed them away in separate scrolls.

He said his goodbyes and made way for Uncle Fu's house once again. After a quick meal. Goku was sent to bed. He watched the sun set as he fell asleep. He didn't even notice the window glow.

Sunrise hit his eyes. He turned to try and stay asleep. This was just one of those mornings. He didn't wanna get out of bed. Nothing was gonna...

"I'm doing it Uncle Fu!" shouted a scratchy voice. That got Goku's attention. He got up and quickly dressed. There was no way he was gonna miss this. He ran downstairs, almost skipping a step. He grabbed a piece of toast as he ran out the door.

He ran straight to the origin of the loud voice. He barely noticed that the forest was different than Konoha. He hopped from tree to tree, not wanting to alert anyone to his presence. He hopped into a clearing. Then it happened.

Onyx eyes met blue. Standing on water was a blond kid with whisker marks on his face. The boy looked just as confused as he did. Goku raised a brow in confusion. Suddenly the blonde kid fell into the water below.

"DARN IT!" shouted the boy as he became submerged in the water.

 **We once again find ourselves at the fated meeting. It feels nostalgic going through these chapters, even if I'm rewriting them. I know there aren't many changes so far, but please bare with me. The big changes are on the horizon. First we have to catch up to the original story.**

 **Anywho, let me know what you think or ask your questions via review and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	5. Chapter 4: The Monkey and the Fox

**I'm a back! This was a chapter that I looked forward to when I started writing the original. We're getting close to the halfway point, and the changes are on their way. The biggest changes will be to the pairing moments, both present and nonpresent. As you can also tell, I'm fixing missing descriptions of what characters look like.**

 **Now before I answer any reviews, I have to get one thing straight. I know this story is T, but that doesn't stop certain young readers from finding a way to read it. I've noticed a few choice words in some reviews, even accidentally letting one slip by. While I understand some people might have some unfriendly words in their vocabulary, I ask that you refrain from cursing in the reviews, since people using the app and looking to the review section to see if they want to read the story might take offense to certain words. I'm not asking you to remove the words from your vocabulary, but please refrain from using them if you can.**

 **If I find any of those words in my reviews, I will erase the review if possible. With that out of the way, let's answer some reviews.**

 **Guest: As you can see in the recent chapter, I'm not Kishimoto. I still wanted to keep his father a surprise since he's not entirely in any danger at the moment. Plus, this time he does have people who respect and love him.**

 ** ** **Let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball.******

Naruto was standing on the water, performing the same chakra exercise as usual. He wanted to make sure that he could balance himself before he tried to walk. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then took a step forward. He pushed to try and keep the chakra running through his feet. He felt the water on the bottom of his foot, but he wasn't going under.

He opened his eyes, and his face lit up in excitement. His foot was perfectly level with the water. He took another step forward, the same results ensuing. He began to walk, before going into an awkward run. He couldn't contain his excitement anymore as he leapt into the air.

"I'm doing it Uncle Fu!" shouted Naruto as he ran around the pool of water. He once again leaped in the air and landed on the water, still running across the surface. He noticed someone hop out of the trees, taking his focus away. It was a boy with black hair sticking out in multiple directions with onyx eyes. The boy wore an orange shirt with Uncle Fu's logo on it, black pants with multiple pockets, and strange black sandals.

One thing about the boy suddenly made itself apparent as it waved through the air.

'Is that a real tail?' asked Naruto in his thoughts. He continued to focus on the boy, until he felt a familiar sensation on his foot. He looked down to see himself slowly lowering into the water. He tried to regain his focus, but to no avail.

"DARN IT!" shouted Naruto as he fell into the water bellow.

Luckily for him, he was over a shallow bank. He got up on his hands and knees as he gasped for air. He looked up to see the kid from earlier running towards him with a concerned look on his face. The boy held his hand out to him.

"You okay?" asked the boy. Naruto cautiously takes the boy's hand and pulls himself up.

"Yeah I'm alright." answered Naruto. "Who the heck are you?"

"Name's Goku Toyotomi. Ninja of..."

"YOU"RE A NINJA!?"

"Yep." Naruto's eyes shined like stars.

"AWESOME! I've always wanted to be a ninja."

"Cool. Uh... who are you?" Naruto's face went blank. He got carried away.

"I'm Son Naruto. I like to think of myself as the king of pranks." Goku smirked and crossed his arms.

"Is that so? I think I've done better." Naruto frowned. This kid was questioning his pranking skills.

"I've pranked my Grandfather and Uncle hundreds of times and they barely notice." Goku frowned accepting the challenge.

"I repeatedly prank the top ninja of the village."

"When we go into town, I prank all the snobby bullies for all the pain they cause."

"I've pranked my entire village in one day and they still don't know who did it." A leaf flew in between them. They stared off, giving an impression of a showdown. Suddenly, They both burst into laughter.

"The whole village!? When did you do that!?"

"Two years ago."

"TWO YEARS!" Naruto suddenly laughed even harder. "You kid, are my kind of guy. I was heading to my Uncle's to get some ramen. Wanna come?" Goku smacked his lips.

"Ya had me at ramen." Both boys hopped across the trees, making their way to the ramen. Goku noticed that the trees were familiar. They stopped in a small clearing. Naruto looked around before looking to the sky.

"He left when I just learned to walk on water!" shouted Naruto to the high heavens. "Why Uncle Fu!?"

"Did you just say Uncle Fu!?" asked Goku. Naruto looked at him with tears running down his eyes and nodded. "How do you know... OH! You're the other kid he checks on!" Naruto took a step back.

"Other kid!? He didn't tell me about any other kids." Goku frowned.

"I think there's a lot he doesn't tell us. Well, until we find him we're gonna have to keep each other company. So, what's your story?" Their stomachs rumbled at the same time, seemingly shaking the whole planet. Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Let's talk about this after lunch. I think I still have a few cups of Ichiraku ramen back at Grandpa's." Goku's eyes lit up.

"Ichiraku's!? You have that restaurant around here?" Naruto reciprocated the shining eyes.

"You have a restaurant of the stuff!? Lucky." Naruto took off for his Grandfathers. Goku followed suit, but he levitated across the ground thinking about the odds of them both knowing the same person and both liking the same brand of food.

 _Uncle Fu's magic house, Space between time branches._

Fu watched them from the bowl he usually talked to Shenron with. He smirked at how they got along so well, but at the same time he was upset about how they seemed to be getting closer to the truth. His smirk vanished as a familiar moan filled the building. Shenron appeared in the image.

 **"You're concerned."** stated Shenron.

"Thanks for stating the obvious." said Fu as he turned his back to the pot. "Why do I have to leave them together in Chyuku and return to Konoha?"

 **"You will learn in time young Fu. For now, however, relax. You have students to teach, and a life to live. You haven't taken time to get used to the worlds you live in."** Fu furrowed his brow.

"Something's gonna happen over the course of the year isn't it?"

 **"As resourceful as ever young Fu. Do not fret, I'll inform you when it's time to bring young Goku home. Until then, farewe..."**

"Do all wish dragons say farewell as their departing words or is it just a habit among you guys?" One could not tell, but the dragon was utterly confused.

 **"I guess we just... I don't quite know myself. I'll have to look into it."** The bowl of water glowed before turning back to normal. Fu looked out the window as it began to glow.

"I hope what happens is important." He sighed as he prepared for whatever comes his way.

 _Mt. Pazao, Time Branch 147, day two._

After being left by Uncle Fu, Goku spent the night with Naruto. They actually had fun eating ramen, showing off techniques, eating ramen, exchanging backstories... Have I mentioned eating ramen? The boys actually got along great. Of course, if you saw them today you'd think they were enemies on a battle field.

They squared each other off. Goku had his hand on a kunai and Naruto did the same with his grandfather's staff. Goku rushed Naruto, slashing the kunai at him. Naruto blocked the attack with his pole and sent a small ki blast towards his foe. Goku was sent flying by the attack, but he caught himself midair.

He suddenly flew at Naruto, and Naruto followed suit. They clashed, striking at each other multiple times. Naruto began to fall to the ground. He noticed that Goku was still in the same spot. He blinked multiple times before falling.

"YOU CAN ACTUALLY FLY!?" shouted Naruto. He suddenly hit the ground flat on his back. Goku floated down as Naruto sat up.

"You can't?" asked Goku. "I thought he would teach you this technique."

"Nah. He teaches me how to use Chakra."

"How far are you?"

"I've learned to walk on water, but I haven't quite mastered running on it yet."

"You can walk on water? You were actually walking on it?"

"Yeah."

"AWESOME!" Naruto looked at him with a bland judgmental face.

"Says the kid who can fly." Goku rubbed his chin for a bit. He suddenly got an idea.

"Why don't we get a little payback on Uncle Fu for ditching us and throw his schedule way off?" Naruto smirked.

"I'm listening."

The next day, the boys could be seen meditating in a clearing. They each had an aura around them. Goku's was chakra while Naruto's was ki. They looked like they were peacefully meditating the day away. A look inside their minds, and you'd throw that assumption out the window.

They were training in a mindscape of their own making. The mental arena was a cross between a ruins and a peaceful lakeside. There were strange columns and white tiles littering the plane. The lake was crystal clear, perfectly reflecting a flowery hill nearby. A sudden rumble in the distance caused the sky above to turn purple.

Goku and Naruto stood across from each other once again. Goku entered a fighting stance while Naruto prepared to try something. Naruto put his fingers in a very familiar position.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" shouted Naruto as he pushed chakra into his hands. Two columns of smoke appeared right beside him. Two almost perfect Naruto clones stood at each side of him. All clones looked at each other.

"I DID IT!" shouted all clones at once. They all looked at each other with anger. "What do you mean you did it!?" Goku snapped his fingers to catch their attention.

"No fighting guys." said Goku with a wave of his finger. "This is just the first step. Once you master this technique, you can make hundreds of clones. For example..." Goku suddenly did the same hand gesture as Naruto. All the Naruto clones were surrounded by 200 Goku clones. Naruto's jaw dropped to the floor as the clones instantly dispersed. "It took me a week to get that good, but I'm not the best example."

"Why not?" asked Naruto as his clones dispersed.

"I've been told that I'm a prodigy, even though I don't know what it means or how it affects me being an example." Naruto's eyes widened. This kid was something else. Naruto sat on a nearby rock.

"It's gonna take forever for me to get it." Naruto felt something land on his shoulder. He was suddenly slapped by a miniature orange tail. Goku still wasn't used to the sight of the small nine tailed fox.

 **"I'm not gonna let some punk who I'm stuck with say he isn't good enough."** said Kurama in a lighter variation of his normal deep voice. Naruto looked away from the fox with a pout.

"I didn't say that I wasn't good enough." argued Naruto. Even though the fox was being harsh, Naruto knew that Kurama cared about his predicament.

 **"Then stop mopping and use the large chakra reserves you have. You didn't think that all your power came from me did you?"** Naruto looked at the fox, then stood up. He put his hands in the correct position. The area became filled with clones. Goku flew above him and counted the clones. Goku came back down with a grin.

"There must be a lot because I only got around halfway when I lost count at 350." said Goku. "Looks I'm not the only prodigy around here." Naruto smirked. They both noticed the area grumbling. Normally, one would fear an earthquake, but being in the mindscape meant only one thing.

"Looks like it's time to get some grub." laughed Naruto as he quickly exited the mindscape. The first thing he noticed when he opened his eyes was that it was night time. He looked around at the scenery. He enjoyed this time of the day. He turned to find Goku with a scared look on his face.

"IT"S NIGHT!" shouted Goku. He looked around at the trees. He turned his face to Naruto. "Blink once if it's a full moon and blink twice if otherwise." Naruto noticed that it was a crescent moon, so he blinked twice.

"OH THANK GOD! I thought the monster was gonna come out!"

"What monster?" asked Naruto.

"Grandpa Hiruzen always told me that if I go out when it's a full moon, a monster will appear and attack the village. I don't know if this place still applies, but I don't wanna take the chance of accidentally hurting someone." Naruto looked at Goku in shock. A monster that this kid fears? That must be one horrifying monster story.

Naruto suddenly thought of something.

"Why should you worry about it? I bet you're powerful enough to beat it on your own." Goku shook his head with a frown.

"Uncle Fu says to take the warning seriously. He said I wouldn't be able to help if the monster comes out." Naruto smirked at Goku with determination.

"Then why don't we both take care of it? If we get rid of it, no one will have to worry about it anymore." Goku lowered his head and sat on a large root, not unlike how Naruto was siting on the rock in the mind scape.

"I'm afraid of the people I care about, friends and family, getting hurt by a stupid wonder or a brash impulse. The truth is, I'm afraid of losing everything I ever knew. I'm just a stupid kid." He turned to see Naruto with his head down. His eyes widened when Naruto looked up with fox like pupils in his eyes. Naruto grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen here kid! No friend of mine is gonna insult themselves on my watch. You can fly for crying out loud! Not only that, but you have someone to back ya up! I promise I'll back ya up against this thing, and I NEVER. BREAK. A promise!" Naruto realized the situation as his pupils return to normal. He let go of Goku and backed up. He lowered his head again. "Sorry."

Goku got up and walked away. He stopped for a moment.

"Come on." said Goku. Naruto looked to the monkey boy. Goku looked back at him with a smirk. "Unless you want me to eat your share of ramen." Goku suddenly flew towards the house, leaving Naruto to process his words.

"DON'T TOUCH MY RAMEN MONKEY BOY!" shouted Naruto as he tried to catch up with his friend. For the next few days, Naruto and Goku began to train so that they could take on the feared monster. They trained in the three things they'd need to take on the beast: Ki, Chakra, and the various forms of ninja techniques that will come in handy. They probably blew most of Uncle Fu's training plan out of the water preparing for this fight. On the last day of training, Naruto learned that it would be a full moon that night.

Currently, he and Goku were waiting in the clearing for the moon to rise. Goku was nervous. This was the monster that he was told not to come out at night for. He looked over to Naruto. Naruto seemed to be at total peace with the world.

He couldn't be further from the truth. Naruto was getting in some last minute training with Kurama. He dodged several tail strikes as he sent several ki blasts at the giant fox's head. He ran up one of the tails, and pounced on the mighty beast's head. Naruto stopped as Kurama's nose twitched.

 **"Naruto."** said Kurama trying to get the blonde's attention. **"This boy smells alien."**

"You're saying this now Kurama." sighed Naruto in exhaustion. "There's nothing wrong with Goku. He's a great guy."

 **"There's something else Kit. I've encountered a similar smell. I think there's a reason that the boy was told he wouldn't be any help against the monster."** Naruto began to feel worried.

"What the heck are you talking about?"

 **"Have you heard of werewolves?"** Naruto's eyes widened as he exited the mindscape. He grabbed Goku's arm.

"Goku! Don't look at the full moon!"

"This is my only chance to see it before the monster..." started Goku before he noticed the seriousness in Naruto's eyes.

"Kurama said you smell similar to a werewolf."

"A what?"

"A person who turns into a wolf man upon seeing a full moon." Goku's eyes widened at the revelation. He felt Naruto tug on him multiple times. Anything he said fell on deaf ears. Naruto's eyes went from concern to fear. "The full moon is right behind me isn't it Kurama?"

 **'Yep.'** answered Kurama from the mindscape. Goku started to growl as he never took his eyes off the big white ball in the sky. His clothes began to tear apart as his body began to grow in size. His eyes began to turn full red as his body became covered in hair. Naruto took a step back as he was covered by the shadow of the giant monkey that was his friend.

The Great Ape pounded his chest as he roared into the night. He looked forward and lifted his leg. The foot moved forward until it came over Naruto.

"CRUD!" shouted Naruto as he hopped out from under the foot. The creature stomped on the ground, just missing his friend. Naruto stared up at the beast. "What the heck should I do!? I can't just kill my friend!"

 **'You may not need to Kit.'** said Kurama in Naruto's head.

"What do ya mean?"

 **'If you can hold him down long enough and get me to the base of his skull, I could find a way to knock him out or at least knock some sense into him.'** Naruto smirked.

"Worth a shot pal." Naruto clapped his hands into the proper hand sign. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A multitude of Naruto clones appeared out of smoke. They began bombarding the giant ape with ki blasts and kunai.

The beast just roared as It swiped at the clone army. Multiple were sent flying, and Naruto felt their pain as they dissipated. A few more tried their luck, but the same thing happened. The clones switched to using the heavy hitting attacks. The Great Ape roared in pain as they stunned it.

The original ran up its back, hoping to reach the base of its skull. He was suddenly batted away by the huge tail of the beast, however sending him into the ground. The beast raised its foot to crush the boy he considered his friend. Suddenly, a blue light catches his attention. He set his foot down away from Naruto as he focused on the light.

Naruto looked up to see Grandpa Gohan charging up a strange energy blast.

"KA...ME..." began Grandpa Gohan as the ball of energy in his hands expanded. "HA...ME...HA!"

He thrust his hands forward, sending the attack towards the great beast. The attack hit the beast square in the face, causing it to hold its head in excruciating pain. The Naruto clones lined up like chains and began to hold the mighty beast in place. Naruto sent a clone to check on Grandpa Gohan before he jumped up to his friend. He put his hand on the base of Goku's giant monkey head, allowing Kurama to enter the mindscape.

Kurama walked through the red dusty planet that was the monkey boy's mindscape, trying to find his subconscious. He soon found red chains that seem similar to chakra heading in the same direction. He followed them to find Goku unconscious being hung by his arms and legs. He walked over and cut most of the chains, leaving one on each ligament just in case his mind has a bad reaction to the added weight. Goku hit the ground as his mindscape became more similar to Konoha, but the area still held aspects of the red desert.

He sat up from his spot on the ground, and wiped some tears from his eyes. He looked up at the giant fox.

"I'm the monster of Konoha." said Goku. "I'm the reason that they keep their children inside every full moon."

 **"Boy."** interrupted Kurama.

"You don't understand! I'm the most feared and hated monster in the Hidden Leaf! I'm..."

 **"You're not the demon of Konohagakure."** Goku looked up at Kurama in confusion. Goku never told him or Naruto the name of his village, let alone it's full name. How did he... **"I am."**

Goku looked to the giant fox with wide eyes and ajar mouth. The Kitsune no Kyubbi began to tell him the story of the night he attacked Konoha. He told him every detail from the masked man who controlled him, to the Hokage who sealed him away. He eluded Naruto's true heritage, just because he didn't feel like it, and definitely not because the boy would be in danger if his father's enemies found a way here. He waited for Goku to process it all, then the boy looked at him with inquisitive eyes.

"If Naruto is from Konoha, then what is he doing here?" asked Goku. "Doesn't he have family somewhere?"

 **"His stupid toad of a godfather was out of reach and he had no clan members in the village to go back to. The third Hokage didn't want him to leave the village, but a certain individual reminded him of the persecution he'd face being my jailer."**

"Uncle Fu." Goku didn't stop staring at the giant fox. He had so many more questions, but his body started to feel different. He looked down to see the last chains dissolving. The fox started to disappear too.

 **"It's time to wake up kid. Don't keep the brat waiting."** Goku suddenly felt his eyes shoot open. He saw Naruto standing above him, with an excited look on his face. He pulled Goku into what to normal people would be a bone crushing hug.

"You're back to normal!" shouted Naruto as he squeezed tighter. Goku began to gasp.

"Naruto!" wheezed Goku. "AIR!" Naruto quickly let go of Goku.

"Sorry. Still powered up from facing King Kong." He covered his mouth at that last sentence. Goku looked at him, making Naruto sure that he hurt his feelings. Suddenly, Goku went into a fit of laughter.

"At least I'm not a skunk. Then this place would have to be quarantined." Naruto blinked at him for a bit. He suddenly joined his friend in laughter. He stopped as one of his clones dispersed.

Goku stopped laughing as he watched his friend run off to the east. He got up to follow him, and noticed that the only articles of clothing to survive his little transformation were his pants and his sandals strangely enough. He shrugged off the discovery and flew off towards his friend. He found Naruto on his knees holding his grandfather's hand while the old man lay on the ground. The old man looked up at Naruto.

"Please be okay Grandpa." pleaded Naruto. Grandpa Gohan coughed a bit.

"I haven't used that move in years." stated the old man before coughing again. "I think my fighting days are really over now." The old man closed his eyes. Naruto gripped his hand harder as he began to cry.

"DON'T DIE ON ME GRANDPA!" Goku lowered his head. Even if he wasn't the demon of Konoha, he was still a monster. He looked at the old man as he was reminded of his... Was Mister Gohan lifting his hand?

Grandpa Gohan suddenly smacked Naruto in the back of the head, causing the boy to let go of his hand. Naruto looked at his grandfather in a mix of confusion, pain and sadness.

"If ya squeeze my hand hard enough and cut off my blood flow I might actually die!" shouted the old man in a raspy voice. "I meant that I won't be fighting after that move! Let an old man finish his words or get the meaning behind them!" Naruto blinked multiple times, before rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. He picked Grandpa Gohan up and, along with Goku, returned to his small home.

The next day they planned to try to get some training in, then do meditation to try and find a way for Goku to control the monster in some way or form. Goku had to borrow some of Naruto's clothes since all his spares remained with Uncle Fu. They quickly rushed out the door, ready to train harder than they ever...

"Hey guys." said a voice as they opened the door. They saw Uncle Fu standing in front of his house, which was ten feet away from Grandpa Gohan's hut. Fu put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "How was your week?" He opened his eyes to find both adopted nephews with a rage filled aura around them. He laughed nervously as the boys took a joined step towards him.

"Where the heck have you been!?" both boys shouted in unison.

"You left me here without my ninja tools and extra clothes!" scolded Goku. "I had to borrow a pair of Naruto's clothes!"

"And you left when I just mastered walking on water!" shouted Naruto. Goku gave him a deadpanned look. "What? I said walking not running."

"Okay. I know you're upset." said Fu trying to appease the angry children. "How about we talk all about it over some nice fresh Ichiraku ramen?" The boys were conflicted. On one hand they wanted to chew him out for being gone for a week but on the other hand... ramen.

Ramen didn't fix everything, but it would certainly be a good start. They entered the building and began to dine on their favorite meal. They then told Uncle Fu about all that happened, stretching the point that they trained to do things beyond his schedule. Fu took a spit take when they told him about the Great Ape battle last night. It surprised him how much they've grown. He wiped his mouth with a cloth and cleaned the table.

"So let me get this straight." started Uncle Fu. "You trained past my schedule because you were mad at me."

"Yep." answered Goku.

"Then you decided to fight the Oozaru and learned that Goku is the Oozaru."

"Yep." answered Naruto.

"And finally, before I came, you actually wanted to learn to control the form."

"That pretty much sums it up." said Goku before he slurped up more ramen. Fu rubbed his temples. This was a lot to take in. "So where've you been Uncle Fu?"

"I went back to Konoha." Naruto almost chocked on his ramen.

"You're from Konoha!?" shouted Naruto as he looked to Goku. Goku nodded in response. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I was gonna when I told you that I was a ninja." answered Goku. "Plus my headband could've told ya that." He gestured to the garment around his head. Naruto lowered his head in embarrassment. Fu cleared his throat trying to catch their attention.

"Anyway, I've actually come to take Goku back to Konoha." said Fu. The whole room was silent.

"What!?" shouted both boys.

"But I just got here a week ago!" argued Goku. "Didn't you tell them it'd take a week to a year?"

"Well..." started Fu.

"Then let me stay here for a couple more weeks. It couldn't hurt to..."

"I meant a week and a year, though not in the way it sounds." Goku's brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry what?" Uncle Fu sighed.

"I used a space time jutsu to bring you here." Naruto got up from his chair.

"Are you insane!?" shouted the boy. "What your saying is that a week here means a year in Konoha!?"

"Chill sport. It only works that way for as long as Goku's here. I have to bring him back or else he'll miss out on all his friends." Goku looked at his uncle in shock. It's really been a year back home?

They were given an hour to say their goodbyes. Goku grabbed a few cups of ramen for the road, and left some kunai for Naruto to use. He walked out of the hut. He saw Naruto standing before him and they stood for a moment.

"Guess I'll see you around bud." said Goku.

"I guess." agreed Naruto. "I'll try to visit some time, and it won't be through space time jutsu. We'll actually get to spend a long time together without missing so much." Goku smirked.

"You better be ready for an all out spar when you do. I won't hold back." Naruto smirked back. They fist bumped.

"I'll hold ya to that." Uncle Fu opened the door to his house.

"Come on Goku!" called Fu. "You wouldn't wanna keep Lee waiting! He really wanted to have a good brawl!"

"Coming!" shouted Goku as he ran to the building. Uncle Fu closed the door as Goku ran in. Naruto watched as the house emitted a bright light. He shielded his eyes, only to open them seconds later. There was no trace of the magic house.

He ran back inside to check on his exhausted grandfather. He couldn't wait for the day he met Goku Toytomi again.

 _Uncle Fu's magic house, Space between time branches._

Goku sat in the house, noticing the windows were glowing for longer than usual. He saw Uncle Fu walk over. He noticed something around his Uncle's neck. He gasped as he recognized the forehead protector.

"How do you like it Goku?" asked Uncle Fu as he flaunted his Konoha ninja headband.

"Why didn't you wear that around Naruto?" asked Goku. The man made a false thinking face as he held his chin.

"Guess I just forgot." Goku knew this was a lie, but he knew there was more to this than his uncle was letting on. He waited for more as Uncle Fu sat in a chair. "Oh by the way, I'm engaged." The room was silent.

"WHAT!" shouted Goku in surprise.

 **That ending never gets old. I'm happy that the original story was such a huge success, and I hope that the rewrite will be just as successful. In the original story, I had asked for opinions on Goku's team, but I'm going to stick with Team 7. I can't see him being on any other team, let alone having different teammates. Anywho, remember to leave a review down below and I'll try to respond as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	6. Return to Konoha, Adjusting to Change

**Back again. We continue on our revisit of the tales of Goku Toytomi and Son Naruto. This is where actual changes start to take place instead of just edits. Be prepared as we dive in to this grand adventure.**

 **Without further ado, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto.**

 _Time Branch 149, Fu's House, Konohagakure_

Fu's house popped into existence as he and Goku returned to Konoha. Fu quickly exited the house, with a curious Goku in tow. He had just revealed his job and his engagement to his excited nephew. The monkey boy continued to ask questions, mostly about his soon to be aunt. To most, the continued prying would become annoying at this point, but Fu Nisekuma was by no means normal.

"Are you sure you can't tell me her name?" asked Goku. Fu smiled as he turned his eyes to his inquisitive nephew.

"Not right now buddy." refused Fu with a smirk on his face. "It'll take away the surprise if I tell ya who it is." Goku harrumphed as he crossed his arms.

"Is there any clue you can give me!?" Fu turned his head to Goku.

"She's someone you know." Goku groaned. That wasn't helpful at all.

"But I know so many people in the village! That'd take forever to find out!" Fu chuckled as he resumed his gaze on the destination before them.

"Not if you think it through Goku. Enough questions. We're here." Goku looked up to see the Hokage mansion, recognizing it as their first stop. They soon entered and made their way to the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen looked up from his desk as Fu and Goku were allowed into the room. The monkey boy's smile turned to a grin as he saw his adopted Grandfather.

"Grandpa Hiruzen!" shouted Goku as he jumped at his adopted grandfather.

"Hold on boy!" shouted Hiruzen as Goku made him topple over out of his chair. Goku squeezed Hiruzen in a huge hug. Suddenly, Hiruzen disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Huh!?" Goku shifted his head side to side in confusion.

"You sure haven't lost your touch kid." said a voice from across the room. Goku turned to see three Hiruzen clones working on paper work and another walking towards him and Fu. "I must thank you again Fu for giving me the idea of using shadow clones. At first I thought it'd be a waist of chakra and stamina, but after trying it I've had much more time to actually help the people. Oh how I wish I could've had the idea before, then I could've had a much easier time as a younger Hokage."

"Glad to here it pops." said Fu, causing all Hiruzen clones to frown. "Anywho, we need to get Goku reenrolled at the academy." Goku smirked.

"I can't wait to see Lee again." said Goku. "It'll be nice to sit next to a friend again." Hiruzen sighed. Fu didn't think Goku would be so short sighted.

"You do realize that you haven't been in school for a year right?" Goku let the question sink in. His eyes suddenly widened in shock. "You didn't go up a grade at all since you left. Almost all of your classmates, including Lee and Neji, have moved up to the next grade."

Goku rubbed his arm in disappointment. He was being held back, and most of his friends were a grade ahead of them. He didn't know a lot of people in the lower grades, so he'd be lucky if he got the same class as Hinata and Sasuke. He looked down as Uncle Fu and Grandpa Hiruzen got his curriculum together. He sighed, but his ears twitched when he heard his uncle mention the name Iruka.

"Why put him in that class in particular?" asked Hiruzen.

"He has a few friends in that class, namely one who could use an old friend right about now." answered Fu. Hiruzen nodded in approval. That was a very good point.

"Alright. I'll place him in the class. I'll assign Goku a seat next to him." Goku was so confused. Who were they talking about, and why was the name Iruka so familiar?

Goku was quickly returned to his home, being the middle of the night. It took a few weeks for Goku to readjust to life in Konohagakure. He would train with Lee every now and then, but it wouldn't really be the same with him being a grade ahead of him. Another thing that was different, was the fact that Fu had taken on more students, including Neji to no ones surprise. Goku decided to stop by and watch one of his training sessions.

He walked up to the door and flared his energy. Fu soon answered the door, with a smile on his face. Goku caught the surprised face of some of the students, the whole reason he flared his energy.

"Thanks for the surprise test Goku." said Fu. Goku smirked as he walked in.

"No problem Uncle Fu." replied Goku. "I thought I'd stop by and see the training."

"Well you came at the perfect time. I need to show an example of what my training can do. You mind having a match with my top student?" Goku grinned from ear to ear as he pounded his fists together.

"I'd love to." Goku followed Fu and his students to the dojo. Goku was stretching, totally prepared to battle Lee. He stood there waiting as a girl with long, flowing black hair that went to her shoulders walked up to the arena. His eyes squinted as he thought he recognized the girl.

"G...Goku-kun?" greeted the girl. She blushed as she breathed in. If it wasn't for the longer hair, she'd look exactly like... Oh.

"Hinata?" asked Goku. She nodded her head. "I didn't recognize you with the longer hair." Hinata looked at him as she pushed her hair back.

"Is it bad?" Goku looked at her in confusion. He suddenly smiled as he rubbed his nose.

"Nah! You look great!" The whole room went silent. Hinata's face went red as a tomato, and that's when Goku realized the contents of his sentence. "Uh... I mean... what I meant was..."

"Hinata, please move off the arena." interrupted Fu. Hinata slowly walked off the stage, hands over her face in embarrassment. Goku looked down as he slid his foot from side to side. He looked up to see a pink haired girl approach Hinata. Hinata smiled as she saw the girl.

The pinkette had long hair, fair skin, and emerald eyes. She wore a red qipao dress with slits along the sides accompanied by a zipper and white circular designs. She also wears tight dark green bike shorts, and blue sandals. Her name was Sakura Haruno, a friend she made after gaining her newfound confidence. Sakura placed her hand on the Hyūga heiress's shoulder.

"Nice job Hinata." complimented Sakura with a thumbs up. "He'll be yours in no time." Hinata blushed fiercely at that comment.

"S...SAKURA!" shouted Hinata. "N...not in front of Goku-kun." Sakura only chuckled as she walked past her friend.

The pinkette walked up to the stage as Fu turned to the laundry room. She smirked as she entered a fighting stance. Goku noticed her green eyes conveyed more of a show off attitude, something he wasn't too fond of. She must be trying to impress someone. He scanned the room, trying to find people worth impressing.

"HEY! Don't ignore me!" Fu soon looked to the arena, sighing as he rubbed his temples. Goku then looked at her.

"Who're you trying to impress?" asked Goku. Sakura gave him an enraged face, but it had no affect on him.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?"

"You're eyes tell me that you're trying to impress someone. You have an air of determination that comes with trying to show your worth." She looked at him in confusion. He could tell her intentions from her eyes? Who's he supposed to be?

"Sakura, the match is about to begin and I want all students off the arena." said Fu as he took a step towards the arena.

"But..." began Sakura in frustration.

"We talked about this. You need to work your way up to ki training." Sakura dejectedly walked off the stage, receiving a sympathetic pat on the shoulder from Hinata. Finally, his opponent was about to walk out onto the arena. He couldn't wait to face the kid who his uncle labeled…

Wait, why was a grown lady walking out onto the arena? He recognized her as Anko Mitarashi. She had light brown, pupil-less eyes and a violet short, spiky, fanned-ponytail. She wore a tan overcoat with a purple in-seam and a pocket on each side, a dark orange mini-skirt, a dark blue belt, pale grey shin guards, fitted mesh body suit that covers her from her neck down to her thighs, the typical forehead protector, a small pendant that looks like a snake fang, and a wristwatch. She smirked at his confused expression as she entered a respectful bow.

"A customary bow before the match." said Anko. Goku quickly recognized the situation as he returned the bow. Fu smirked as he got up to the side of the arena.

"Alright, here are the rules." instructed Fu. "No huge attacks that could destroy the building or the village, no underhanded tactics, no weapons, and no illusionary tactics, clone jutsu, or substitution jutsu. Other ninja techniques are allowed, so long as they adhere to the first two rules. I want a nice, clean fight. Victory is achieved by form of ring out, disqualification, incapacitation, or forfeit." Goku and Anko nodded in agreement as they entered their respective fighting stances. "BEGIN!"

Anko made the first move, flying towards Goku. She swung her leg around for a roundhouse kick, but Goku dodged and grabbed her waist with his tail. He swung around and delivered a punch to the cheek. She grabbed his hand and threw him to the ground. Goku quickly rolled out of the way as she punched the ground where he once lay.

She sent a ki blast his way, but he met it with a blast of equal power. He mashed together a multitude of hand symbols.

"Fireball Jutsu!" shouted Goku as he breathed into his hands. A huge fireball was hurled towards Anko. She smirked as she also put some hand symbols together.

"Mud Wall Jutsu!" shouted Anko as she slammed her hands to the ground. As described by the name, a mud wall popped out of the ground and blocked the fireball. She leaned back as the wall dropped, nearly avoiding a roundhouse kick from Goku. She performed a backflip, kicking the kid square in the jaw. Goku caught himself midair as he slowly lowered back to the arena.

"Not bad kid." complemented Anko. "Sensei taught you well." Goku smirked. He actually liked mid battle banter.

"Your doing good too." replied Goku. "You must be soaking up his lessons like a sponge." The woman only chuckled in response.

"You could say that." Anko flew at Goku again, and he prepared to block her attack head on. She went for a low sweep, but he jumped over her. Time slowed down as Anko saw the boy's face. It went from excited to upset in an instant.

Time returned to normal as he landed on the other side of her. She got up and went to perform a jutsu, but she stopped when he turned to her with that same frown on his face. Goku respectfully bowed to his opponent.

"Let's have a match with no ring out rule next time, okay?" asked Goku as he razed his head with a sad smile. It was then that she found out the reason for his sadness. She looked down to see her right foot out of the ring.

"Goku wins by ring out!" proclaimed Fu as he raised his hand. The crowd of students clapped as Anko returned the bow.

"Count on it kid." said Anko as she reached out her hand to Goku. They shook hands as Fu walked up to the stage. "Just don't hold back next time."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Sakura hopped up on the stage, anger written on her face.

"It's no fair!" shouted Sakura. "You're just claiming she's the best because she's you're girlfriend." Fu shook his head as he put his arm around Anko.

"She's not my girlfriend." corrected Fu, though the arm around her wasn't helping his case. "She's my fiancé." Or maybe it was. "She got here through sheer determination and hard work, even earning the title before I got any interest in her."

Goku looked at the pair with wide eyes.

"So you're his fiancé!" shouted Goku. "How come I didn't see that coming?" Fu chuckled as his arm left the woman of his life.

"Because you're a naïve monkey boy." Goku puffed his cheeks in rage.

"I'm not a... Oh, right." Goku suddenly dropped his head in realization. He actually was a monkey if recent events had anything to say. His thoughts were cut off by Sakura's continued tantrum.

"You say that we can get to their level by working hard, but I've been working my hardest and you still overlook me!" shouted Sakura. "Why am I always overlooked when it comes time to test for ki training? Why?" Fu gave her a stern face. He was seriously tired of her attitude.

"You haven't earned the right." admitted Fu. "You've been obsessing over something, and it's been throwing off all the progress you've made. You came to me for training with a drive to learn, but the purpose for it is not only a mystery, but the reason that you're not ready for ki training. You need to find the thing that's holding you back, and only then will you make true progress."

These words brought tears to the young girl. She ran out the building, Hinata following close behind. Goku stared for a moment, before turning to Fu and Anko. He gave them both a respectful bow.

"It was nice to meet you." said Goku before he chased after the two girls. He didn't even bother to hide his energy as he flew off when he exited the building. He searched the village twice over, but there was no sign of the girls. He was about to give up, when he felt Hinata's ki rise. He flew in the direction of the energy signature, and found Hinata comforting a crying Sakura.

Sakura was mumbling something about getting someone's attention as he watched on. He noticed Hinata look over to him, and beckoned him closer. Sakura looked up to see the young monkey boy crouching down to eye level. She pushed her hand out to him, trying to push him away.

"GO AWAY!" shouted Sakura as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "Both of you justleave me alone." Hinata shook her head. She put her hand on the pinkette's shoulder, receiving a pained stare.

"I won't leave my friend crying." objected Hinata. In all his life, Goku never heard Hinata talk without stuttering or feeling embarrassed. "I'm here for you, whether you want me or not." Sakura sniffled as she looked to her friend.

"I'll never get to where I can use ki. I'm nothing like you guys. I should just give up."

"That's not true and you know it." Sakura chuckled a bit.

"I just trained with him to try and impress Sasuke. I thought, if I could get strong enough, he'd notice me and start liking me." Goku was thoroughly confused. All this just to be his friend? Why would she go so far to try to be his... Oh. She means the other like.

"You don't have to..." started Goku before someone stepped forward.

"Give up already Forehead?" said a blonde girl with a huge ponytail. Sakura paled as she looked up to her old childhood friend. Ino Yamanaka wore a purple outfit consisting of a high-collared blouse and matching apron skirt. She also had the same green eyes as Sakura. "To be honest, I thought he would flat out reject you but that just means he took pity on you."

"Go away Ino-pig." retorted Sakura as she looked away. Ino growled, but resumed her smirk as she crossed her arms.

"In any case, now Sasuke will see you as a quitter, and even pretend your not there. I'm surprised you still have friends after this, but I guess there's something wrong with them if they still want to hang with you." Sakura looked up at Ino with anger in her eyes. She got up and threw a rock at the girl, barely missing her foot.

"Next time you insult my friends that rock will hit your head!" Ino ran towards Sakura, but Goku got in the way. He didn't even budge as Ino bumped into his chest and fell to the ground. She got up, dusted herself off, and got a good look at Goku. She smiled as the boy caught her interest.

He wasn't Sasuke, but he was pretty darn close. If someone else snatched Sasuke, which she'd go down clawing and biting before that ever happened, this kid would be next in line. She smirked as she rubbed her hand against his cheek.

"This doesn't concern you handsome, unless she's given up on Sasuke and you're her boyfriend. Just move out of my way." Goku didn't budge, he just stared at her. Hinata hadn't seen that face since the battle with Neji. He was basically giving off a death stare as he removed her hand from his cheek.

"Go away." said Goku in a monotone voice. Ino stopped smirking, a little perturbed at the saiyan.

"Get out of the way Monkey Boy. I have to have a talk with..."

"I can tolerate the monkey comment, but I won't stand while you bully, belittle, and threaten any of my friends, let alone two of them. Now I'm gonna repeat myself, and you better listen before I get as ugly as your attitude." Ino took a step back as a black aura seemed to pulse off of him. "GO. AWAY."

Ino took the hint and made her way back in the other direction, moving faster than when she came. Goku took a deep breath before walking back to the two girls. He smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry if I scarred you. I just can't stand idiots who hurt my friends." Sakura just looked at Goku in awe and slight fear as the boy knelt down to her.

"She's right about me you know." said Sakura, only to receive some 'tsks' from Goku.

"Don't let people like that get you down. If it makes you feel any better, Sasuke probably would only see you as a hurdle to climb if you got stronger than him." Hinata face palmed as Sakura gave Goku a deadpanned look.

'Really Goku-kun?' thought Hinata as she let her hand slide down her face.

"Thanks for telling me my efforts were in vain." said Sakura in sarcasm. Goku let his sentence process for a bit. Sweat dropped to his brow as he tried to recover the situation.

"Let me get to my actual point. You don't have to be strong to get his attention. You just have to be his friend for a bit. If you want to get stronger, do it for you, and don't let anyone tell you that you can't. That's how Hinata and I got this strong, and now it's your turn."

He stood up and held his hand out to Sakura. She blushed as she took his hand. He helped her up, and she quickly gave him a small hug.

"You're a good guy Goku... Uh..."

"Toyotomi."

"Right. Sorry. It's hard to remember names when you focus on one guy for so long." They, along with a slightly jealous Hinata, made their way back to the dojo. Goku stopped, however, when a thought occurred to him.

"Why are you trying so hard to catch Sasuke's attention? That guy's pretty easy to talk to." Sakura gave him a surprised look.

"Are you kidding me? He's like a fortress! You can't ever talk to the guy without being either smart mouthed, rejected, or practically ignored." Goku was surprised the most by this information. He could neither confirm nor deny her claim, seeing as he hadn't seen Sasuke for basically three weeks in his mind.

He shook it off as they returned to the dojo. Uncle Fu had been waiting the whole time for them to return. He stood there as Sakura walked up to him on her own. He smirked like he was meeting her for the first time. Sakura waited for a response in words, but instead he ruffled her hair.

"I knew those two could turn ya around." said Fu. "Those two are like rays of sunshine in this village. Now let's try this again. what do you fight for?" This was a question Goku never heard his uncle ask before.

What did it have to do with his training? Sakura just looked into his eyes with pride, knowing exactly what she wanted. She had been thinking on it the whole trip back, and she felt she could now say it with pride.

"I fight to be the greatest kunoichi, even greater than lady Tsunade herself." answered Sakura. Goku and Hinata were shocked to say the least. That was a big ambition since Lady Tsunade was one of Konoha's three legendary sannin. Fu smirked as he crouched down to eye level. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"You were always ready, but you needed to let go of your doubts and find your purpose to truly make a wave in this world." Sakura was in shock. She began to cry as she gave her sensei a huge hug, which he returned with pride. All four of them returned to the inside of the building as Fu led them to the dojo. He let her know the rules of the seal before applying it to her forehead.

She breathed in slowly as he activated the seal. She suddenly felt strange as the seal began to glow pink, a color it definitely wasn't supposed to glow. She felt pain run through her head. Fu tried to reach her, but her energy pulsed, knocking him away. She screamed, but the voice was echoed.

Goku noticed the echo and flew straight at her. He reached for the seal, trying to break it. She held up her hand, however, and pushed him away. Goku watched as Sakura tried to look at Goku through her pain filled eyes. She held out her hand.

"I CAN TAKE IT!" shouted Sakura as she tried to pull the ki together. She gasped as the seal literally shattered off her head. She fell to her knees as she reached for air. She looked towards Fu. She gave him a weak thumbs up, before completely passing out.

She later woke up, the bed she rested upon was soaked in sweat. She turned her head to see that she was in a hospital. She looked around to see her parents trying to talk to her, but it was all for not as they couldn't be heard above the ringing. She soon saw the doctors walk in to check her vitals, and two young people there to see her. She recognized them as Goku and Hinata.

"Guys..." said Sakura weakly.

 _"That hurt! CHA!"_ shouted inner Sakura, but Sakura could actually hear her. It was like another person in her head.

 _'What?'_ thought Sakura. Inner Sakura gasped at the fact that she was actually heard. Hinata lightly grabbed Sakura's arm to catch her attention.

"Are you alright?" asked Hinata. Sakura slowly turned her head towards Hinata. She smiled at her friend, bringing relief to her. She then turned to Goku, who gave her a big grin. She smirked as the boy's tail wagged.

"You're okay!" shouted Goku as he was about to pounce Sakura. Her eyes filled with terror as she weakly lifted her arm.

"GOKU PLEASE DON'T!" shouted Sakura as Goku hopped in the air. He was stopped before he could reach her, however, as Anko grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Not a good idea kid." interjected Anko. "You don't wanna do any more damage to her." Goku frowned as he lowered his head. He didn't mean to get over excited.

"Sorry." apologized Goku as Anko let him down. Unknown to them, Fu was being presented to the clan heads and the Hokage for the whole incident. Fu was waiting for them to receive him, very aware of the concern caused by such an outburst of energy. He was also aware of the large malevolent signature that awaited him. It was so potent that he could pinpoint the individual it came from with no knowledge of the inside of the room.

Speaking of, the doors began to open as Fu walked forward. The room fell silent as he stood in the center, being looked upon by all four of the noble clans and the Civilian Council. The first clan to be identified were the Nara, a clan with a kekei genkai of shadow manipulation. Next were the Akimichi, a clan that specialized in the mass expansion style. Then there was the Aburame Clan, known for their symbiotic connection to many different kinds of special insects. Finally, there was the Hyūga clan, known for their dojutsu, the Byakugan.

Fu quietly scanned for the malevolent individual once more, but was cut off when Hiruzen Sarutobi walked into the spotlight. The man stretched his right arm out to the other noblemen.

"Noble clans and members of the Civilian Council, we are gathered to determine what to do about the power that was unleashed by one Sakura Haruno, during a well known seal test performed by one Fu Nisekuma." said the Third Hokage. "It was larger than he had ever recorded before, but there was the possibility that the release of all that energy could've caused her to send out a shockwave so great, it would've wiped us all out." The people in the room whispered among themselves. Fu raised his hand.

"If I may object lord Hokage." said Fu. Hiruzen nodded to the purple man.

"You may."

"There was no possibility of a shockwave, so we would've been just fine. The only one who might've been in danger was Sakura. That outburst caused her to lose a lot of ki and chakra, which could've led to a fate far worst than needing bed rest. The other danger that comes from this is unwanted attention by both those who can sense Ki and those who would use her for their own purposes. It could've been avoided by keeping the situation low key, but I wasn't about to risk the life of my student."

"Then why put her at risk in the first place?" asked Sikaku Nara, head of the Nara clan. "It seems troublesome."

"The only risk that was there was a risk of exhaustion. She should've been in no danger whatsoever."

"I support Fu Nisekuma." said Hiashi Hyūga, head of the Hyūga clan. "He's turned Hinata, the clan heiress, from a shy girl into a potential leader. I've seen the ritual myself, and I can concur that there's no danger in his seal. He's an outstanding citizen and a shinobi that follows the Will of Fire." As the Hyūga leader voiced his opinion, a man walked into a spot light. Fu easily identified him as the man with the malevolent energy.

Danzō Shimura appeared to be a frail, old man with black, shaggy hair and bandaging over his right eye. He wore a white shirt, with a dark grey robe over the top of it covering from his feet, to just over his right shoulder. He walked with a cane, but Fu knew that the man didn't need it. He could sense large amounts of chakra in various places over his hidden right arm. The man lowered his gaze on Fu.

"If his seal can grant such power to an individual, then it should be in the hands of the clan heads and the Civilian Council." reasoned Danzō. "I motion for the knowledge of the seal to be transferred to the Civilian Council." Fu smirked.

"Need I remind you that I'm the only one of my clan by blood that resides in Konohagakure, probably in the whole of the Elemental Nations?" asked Fu. Danzō narrowed his eye at the young Nisekuma.

"You're point?"

"That makes me the head of my clan, and that means I can make any jutsu and seals created by my clan a clan secret. I have already added the seal, along with many other techniques, as an S-class clan secret. You cannot force me to hand over my secrets, and I will only share them with those I deem worthy. By that, I mean those who I can trust with it." Danzō growled at Fu's craftiness.

"That is an outrage!" shouted a member of the Civilian Council. "You are to hand over the knowledge of the seal this instance!" The other councilmen voiced their agreement, but they were silenced when some ANBU slowly walked out of the shadows. Hiruzen turned to the member who spoke up.

"Trying to forcefully obtain an S-class secret is considered treason and will lead to execution." informed Hiruzen with a 'try me' scowl on his face. The man looked away as he retracted his demand. "Does anyone else concur with his movement?" No one in the council spoke up. Hiruzen smirked as he turned to Fu.

"I motion that we allow him to continue with his business, but place ANBU watch hand picked by the Hokage himself." suggested Hiashi. "It would be wrong to mess in the affairs of such a strong ally." There was a round of approval by the clan heads, but a round of disapproval from the Civilian Council. The Hokage looked to the council.

"Due to the potential treason, the Civilian Council will not be counted in the vote." said the Hokage. Danzō took a step towards Hiruzen, his aura filled with the rage his face did not show.

"You have no authority to do that." interjected Danzō. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the man.

"The one who has no authority in this situation is you, Danzō, and you will do well to remember your place." Danzō growled as he looked away. "With that, the motion is carried." Fu bowed to the Hokage, but made a quick glare at Danzō. As he walked out, he knew that he had declared war on the Civilian Council.

After a quick trip to the hospital to check on Sakura, he made his way home. He was already aware of the signatures of the ANBU, but he didn't mind the presence. He knew that Hiruzen would inform them of the workings of the house, so they probably knew what to do if the house disappeared. He entered his home, quickly turning on the lights. He frowned as he stood in the middle of the arena.

"I know you're there guardian." said Fu. The mysterious man in the trench coat hopped down from the ceiling. He motioned his onyx eyes to Fu's weapon, which Fu quickly placed on the ground. As Fu got a good look at the man, he noticed his black gi pants, yellow top, and black shoes that hid under the coat. He grabbed a pitcher and some cups.

Caliban remained silent as the man turned to him. "Tea?" He waited for the guardian to answer as he poured his own cup.

"Two sugars." answered Caliban. Fu quickly got the drinks ready and brought the guardian his cup. He noticed a symbol on the back of the trench coat. It was one that was in Shenron's temple.

"I know why you're here. I have been employed by Shenron to make sure this Convergence happens without any complications." The guardian slowly drank his tea, then pulled the cup away from his mouth.

"You did a fine job of that when you took Goku back to time branch 147, and created a temporary imbalance which is still in effect. By the time it balances out, Goku will be a ninja and Naruto would've possibly joined Bulma in the quest for the dragon balls years later than he should." Fu smirked

"That was under the orders of Shenron. Throw off Goku's curiosity of Naruto and pass it off as a space time jutsu. No one knows about the alternate time branches besides you and me. Oh, and don't worry about the ANBU. They can't here our conversation."

"Then we have no problem." Caliban began to walk off, but then Fu adjusted his glasses.

"Actually, I think my biological donors are trying to cause trouble for the time branches. It's only a matter of time before they reveal themselves, though I fear they may already have." The guardian turned back to Fu with a groan.

"How do you know this?"

"During a battle between Goku and Neji, Neji suddenly gained a dark boost in energy. I would've followed the trail, but I had two unconscious people to worry about." The guardian rubbed his temples, before handing Fu a communication device.

"Then we'll keep in touch. I'll report this to the kais, then I'll return and investigate the timelines. My name is Caliban Kurosagi. Good luck, Fu Nisekuma." With that, Caliban disappeared into thin air. Fu chuckled as he looked to the roof.

"Saiyans and their exits." He made his way to bed, already guessing that there'll be a lot of work to do in the next coming years.

 **Chapter 5, complete. Now we actually see the conversation Sakura had with Hinata. I thought that it was unfair of me to not even give Sakura a description since she's such a prominent character in this story, so I remedied the problem here and now. I'll give Sasuke a proper outfit description next chapter as well. Also, the pink glow for the seal is symbolic, but I'll leave the symbolism up to your imagination for now.**

 **Anywho, what do you think of the changes made this chapter? Do you like the added conversation between Hinata and Sakura? What do you think the symbolism of the seal means? Let me know in a review down below and I'll try to respond as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	7. Chp 6: Angsty Uchiha, A Friend in Need

**Back for another chapter. This chapter was one of my favorites when I wrote it. I'm still thankful to mugiwara-no-lucy for letting me copy a certain scene from her fanfic "Saiyan Shinobi," which I still highly recommend. **Anywho, let's get on with the story. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball.****

 _Ninja Academy, Konohagakure_

Goku was hesitant, that much was obvious. It was his first time back at school, and none of his friends were going to be there. Why? He was held back due to Uncle Fu's 'year long' training trip. He most likely didn't know anyone that would be here.

'There's a high chance that I won't know anyone here.' thought Goku as he opened the door.

"I GET TO SIT NEXT TO SASUKE!" shouted an annoyingly familiar voice.

"NO, I DO!" shouted a more welcome familiar voice. Goku felt sweat drop down his face as he saw a crowd of girls arguing. In the middle of the group were Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno, two girls he knew. He missed the entire objective of the argument as he doubted his ability to guess. He then ignored them as he went up the stairs to find his seat.

He wasn't as surprised to see Hinata as he walked by, but he was glad to see that she wasn't taking part in the argument. He made his way down the other set of stairs as he passed by where he and Lee used to sit. He had memories of how they'd go over training plans. They would talk about where to stretch the training and when things would go too far, though that last part was mostly Goku telling Lee when to take a chill pill. Goku sighed as he began to move down the row in the bottom.

He soon found his seat, and took it. He heard sounds of disappointment as the group of arguing girls stared at him. Feeling awkward, he just waved at them. The only one who waved back was Sakura, though it was a weak wave. He tried to understand their disappointment as the girls tried to find some seats.

What was so upsetting? Did he do something wrong? He looked around to see what could make his seat so special. The only people he could see beside him were the Inazuka kid, Kiba was it, and Sasuke, but what could... Wait?

He turned his gaze to his left as he saw Sasuke was sitting right next to him. His hair was pulled back in his usual duck tail style, and his onyx eyes boredly stared at the book he held. He was wearing a navy blue, short-sleeved shirt with a high collar, white shorts, and white arm warmers. The Uchiha crest adorned the back of his shirt. Goku almost couldn't recognize him or his energy.

The guy had a different aura from when Goku was in the village last. He had the aura of one who could care less, yet it had a small vengeful spark. This would be worrying, if he didn't sense the old Sasuke deep down. He smirked as he thought of a way to brighten his friends mood.

"Seems like you're pretty popular." said Goku, glancing over at Sasuke. He only received a "tsk" from the Uchiha. Goku just smiled as he continued. "I think they'd like you more if they knew the real you." Sasuke lifted his brow, the boy's words lost on him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sasuke as he stopped reading the book in front of him. Goku chuckled. His plan was working.

"If they knew the Sasuke I knew, the ones who are good will like you even more." Sasuke sent the saiyan a sharp glare.

"I don't need love, and I certainly don't need... advice... Goku?" The monkey boy smirked as he held his hands behind his head. He felt Sasuke's normal aura start to resurface.

"Took you two minutes to even look. You're either really into that book, which is entirely possible since it's a technique book, or you've got a lot on your mind. Care to let me know which one is correct?" Sasuke was dumbfounded.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in the older class." Goku frowned as he still sat the same way.

"I got held back because of a year long training trip. Apparently Uncle Fu didn't think to sign a form saying that I would count the trip as part of school." Sasuke just stared at the monkey boy. That was the law?

'I've got to pay better attention to the laws of the village.' thought Sasuke. He was about to continue, when the door to the classroom opened. A tall man, who Goku recognized as Iruka Umino, entered the room. He had brown hair that he kept in a ponytail, dark eyes and a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with forehead protector, sandals, and flack jacket.

Iruka turned to the class, a small smile on his face.

"Hello class." said the teacher. "My name is Iruka Umino, and I'll be your instructor for the next few years." Ino raised her hand. "You can wait till I finish Ino."

"I think there was a mix up with my schedule." blurted the Yamanaka child. "I was supposed to be in a class for shinobi, not a petting zoo." The blonde gestured to Goku. Iruka was about to scold her, but Goku just chuckled.

"Never heard that one before." said the little saiyan. "I'll give you props for originality." She became flustered as she heard snorts throughout the room. Iruka coughed into his hand, catching the attention of the students.

"I may not approve of the insult, but I get that you're confused about your new classmate." said Iruka. He then gestured to Goku. "Goku Toytomi went on a training journey last year. Can anyone tell me why that would be part of the cause?" He scanned the room for a moment. "Hinata, do you know?"

A few people looked to Hinata, expecting the same kind of reaction she usually gave last year. To their surprise, she actually stood up.

"Would it have to do with missing scholar papers?" asked Hinata. Iruka snapped his fingers.

"That would be the answer. Happy to see more confidence from you Hinata." Hinata smiled as she sat down. "Now I don't want you thinking that because he was held back, he isn't smart. He was, and he still is, a good student."

After the announcements and introductions, the class actually began. Sasuke had surprised the class with how close he seemed to be with the new arrival. He wasn't buddy buddy with Goku, but the monkey boy was closer than any other could get. They would trade facts and correct each other where it was needed. They seemed really close.

After some time, lunch came around. All of the Sasuke fangirls went to his usual spot to spy on him. They were surprised to find that he wasn't there. Had he found out about their spying? That was the truth, but it wasn't the reason he was absent.

Atop a tree on the other side of the school, Goku and Sasuke were enjoying their lunch while avoiding the crazed girls. Goku had a bowl of dumplings, which he shared with his friend. Goku shared the story of his trip, despite the fact that Uncle Fu probably would have his tail.

"So you were gone for a year, but it had only been a week to you?" asked Sasuke to clarify. Goku nodded.

"All because of a space-time jutsu." said Goku. "Naruto promised that he'd try to find a way to visit without the jutsu. I think you two would be good friends." Sasuke smirked as he took a bight of another dumpling. He hummed in delight as he slowly chewed the dumpling slowly.

"This is pretty good. What brand is it?" Goku waved his finger in the air, a smirk on his face.

"A little something called home made." Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked at the dumpling in his chopsticks.

"You made these?!"

"Yep. I don't really have anyone else with Grandpa Hiruzen always busy and Uncle Fu training his students, so I'm usually by myself, except for a friendly butler. By the way, never ask him to cook. The only thing he can't mess up is ice cream." Sasuke looked at Goku with an inquisitive brow raised.

"He's that bad?" Goku hopped to his feet.

"He's so bad, he burned water." Sasuke looked at him in disbelief.

"That is physically impossible." Both thought about it, then Goku burst into laughter. Then, something happened that seemed to make the whole village go quiet. Sasuke laughed along with him. Fu stopped what he was doing to look at the sky.

"I sense that the world has broken." said Fu. He stayed still for a few moments. "Nah! It'll all be fine." Back with Goku and Sasuke, they continued to laugh over the thought. Sasuke turned to the monkey boy.

"As much as I try to stay serious, I think I needed this." said Sasuke. Sasuke looked down, almost as if he was in disbelief, but he was still smiling. "It's nice to have a friend again." Goku smiled right back.

"Happy to be that friend." replied Goku. A thought suddenly came to Goku's mind. "How are the three survivors?" Sasuke chuckled at the mention of the three toddlers.

"Just fine. A handful, but fine. The Nara took in the eldest, Kaze. He often shouts out about making his own shadow jutsu. I think he calls it Shadow Warp Jutsu or something like that. He's pretty darn close, but I won't tell him that."

Goku chuckled as Sasuke put his empty bowl to the side.

"What about the others?" Sasuke held his chin in thought.

"There's Haruka. She was taken in by a white haired man. All she'll say about him is that he's a big fan of dogs. Finally there's Nosuke. He's gone full Inazuka."

"Like Kiba?" Sasuke nodded.

"He even prefers to be called Wolf. You should see the way he dresses. He can't go one day without trying to be 'one with the dog.'" Goku laughed as Sasuke shot him a deadpanned look. "It's not so funny when you have to save him from being pack food. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!" Goku stopped laughing and winced.

"Sorry." The Uchiha looked down, then turned to his friend.

"Look, Goku? Could you, not tell anyone about this conversation? I..." Goku held up his hand.

"Say no more. My lips are sealed and there are no witnesses, well..." He looked behind to see Hinata floating behind a branch. The Hyūga gasped as she his behind the trunk of the tree. "Not any that would use this against you. Trust me, I never turn on a friend."

Goku held his fist out to Sasuke. Sasuke smirked, and bumped Goku's fist with his own. Days went by as the two friends grew closer. It started to become more obvious, despite their best attempts to hide it. That isn't important right now, however, as Goku is making his way to check up on the Uchiha children by himself.

He noticed Shikamaru laying down on the gate to the Nara compound.

"See any good clouds?" asked Goku as he floated up to the kid.

"Seen plenty, till you got in the way." replied the young Nara. Goku rubbed the back of his head as he moved out of the boy's line of sight. "Thanks. Kaze's in the backyard practicing his jutsu." Goku floated to the backyard.

We zoom over to a young lad surrounded by shadow. He had pitch black hair that stood up in the front and onyx eyes to match. He wore a yellow shirt with the Uchiha symbol on his back, black shorts, and black sandals. He was standing under the shadow of a rock formation, staring at the shadow of another. He knew that he wasn't supposed to be practicing jutsu at this age, but the rest of his adopted clan had given up on trying to stop him.

He mashed together some hand signs.

"Shadow Warp Jutsu!" shouted the youth. He felt himself being pulled into the shadows. He started to see himself in the other shadow like a mirror. He was almost through, but then he was shot out of the other shadow like a rocket. He screamed as he went flying through the air.

He suddenly stopped as he hung mid air.

"I saved you from death, and you repay me by sending yourself flying across the village?" asked Goku as the boy looked up at him. The boy rubbed the back of his head as he gave Goku a sheepish grin. "You gotta be more careful Kaze." The boy, now identified as Kaze Uchiha, looked down and kept his eyes shut.

"Not funny." Goku flew Kaze back down to the ground. He noticed that the Uchiha youth looked disappointed. "Stupid jutsu didn't stupid work." Goku just chuckled.

"You came out the other shadow. That's something." The boy turned to Goku with an angry face.

"I WAS A LIVING CANNON BALL!" Goku shook his head.

"That just means you have to work on the output. I recommend you wait on that though. Wouldn't want you to..."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it all. I'm too young to learn all this. I shouldn't have to worry if I can be a ninja or not. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! I wanna get this right. It'll prove that I can be apart of this clan in my own way."

Goku smirked at the youth. He knew what it felt like to want to prove yourself.

"And you have plenty of time to do that. You've already got the seals and how the technique works, so just write it down and hide it for a few years. You have lots of time before you begin ninja training. Gosh! I sound like Uncle Fu!"

Kaze laughed and pointed at Goku.

"You sound like an adult!" Goku smirked and rubbed Kaze's head.

"Doesn't make me any less right. Just think about how much easier it will be to hone the jutsu when you're older and have more experience." The little Uchiha pondered over the information.

"You know what? I think the Nara way of life is starting to get to me. Going too fast is starting to sound real troublesome."

"Here, here." said Shikamaru in agreement from his perch. Goku smirked and floated in the air.

"TELL WOLF I SAID HI!" With that, Goku flew off to visit the next Uchiha on his list.

Speaking of, we zoom in to Inuzuka territory. Some wolf pups are playing in the tall grass. They are ninken, dogs with heightened senses that can accompany ninjas. One little grey pup was about to pounce another, when it stopped to sniff the air. It seemed to be unaware of the glowing eyes staring it down.

Suddenly, a bobcat pounced the ninken. The others turned to the feline and growled. No one was gonna hurt their pack. The bobcat thrust its fangs at the pup, but it suddenly stopped. It fell on its side with an arrow in it.

The pups turned to see a boy with black hair that was shaved on the right side of his head, and onyx eyes to match. He wore a tiger's skin as a cloak, bluejean shorts, and black sandals. He held in his hands a birch wood bow with silver engravings. The pups waited as the youth checked on their friend. Once the boy confirmed the pup's safety, he slowly inched towards the downed feline assailant.

He pulled out a knife and began to stab the beast in a few of the kill points. After he finished he hoisted it onto his shoulders and began to trek back to his home, with four wagging tails not far behind. He soon arrived at the building, and placed his catch on a table. An older man came over with his wolf partner.

"So that's what's been getting the pups!" exclaimed the man. The boy nodded in confirmation. "Nice hunting Nosuke! Gonna add this one's head to the wall." The wolf partner ran over to check on the little pups.

She was relieved to see them unharmed, especially the one who was the target. She ran over and tackled Nosuke. She began to lick his face to show her appreciation. The boy laughed as the pups joined in.

"You're welcome Keanu." said Nosuke as he put his bow on the table. "I wasn't gonna let my pack be attacked by that... thing." The wolf, now identified as Keanu, hopped off and most of the pups followed, save for one who was licking his foot. The mother hummed at the little one, and it ran to her side. Nosuke sat up, then sniffed the wind.

He grabbed a beanbag and threw it into the air. It was caught by Goku.

"Not gonna surprise me anytime soon Nosuke." said Goku. The boy stomped his foot.

"NO FAIR!" Goku stuck his tongue out at Nosuke, who returned the gesture.

"Doesn't have to be fair. Nice job with the bobcat by the way." Nosuke smirked and pointed his thumb at himself.

"I've become a master hunter big bro Goku. I can hunt even the best predators in the region." Goku smirked as he raised his eyebrow.

"A master hunter at such a young age? Not possible." Nosuke picked up his bow and quiver, then walked towards the forest.

"I'll show you how far I've come. I'm gonna hunt a huge boar I've seen for supper." Goku smacked his lips as he lowered to the ground.

"Can't wait to see those porkchops." Both boys drooled at the thought of food. They made their way through the forest. Goku was surprised by the tracking abilities of the Inuzuka raised Uchiha. "How do you know where we're going?"

The young 'master hunter' turned to Goku with his finger over his mouth.

"You'll scare it away." whispered the youth. "I placed a scent tracker made for ninken on it, just in case one I fail and the pups wanna give it a go. I made the scent myself using various fruits and herbs." Goku was thoroughly impressed. The boy had the makings of a great hunter, and an even better shinobi.

Nosuke held his hand back to Goku, then signaled him to climb the tree. Goku flew up to a secure branch and sat down. When Nosuke said there was a huge boar, he wasn't kidding. The beast was massive, even sporting the largest tusks he's ever seen. The beast seemed to have dark red eyes.

He looked down to see Nosuke circling around the beast. He grabbed an arrow with a spiraled head which, in case if you were wondering, wasn't normal. He pulled back the string of his bow, aiming straight for the side of it's massive stomach. He whispered something, and the arrow head glowed blue. He released, and the arrow spiraled like a drill.

It hit it's mark, and the beast roared in pain. The boar turned to Nosuke and charged, but the boy moved out of the way and fired a normal arrow into the wound. It roared again as it knocked over a tree. Goku, being in the tree that was falling over, jumped to another one. Nosuke grabbed one last arrow, and made his way to the beast.

Instead of firing the arrow, he stabbed it in the throat of the beast. The boar wheezed before falling to the ground. It landed with a sickening thud. The beast breathed its last as Nosuke pulled the spiral tipped arrow from the its side. Goku hopped down and inspected the kill.

"You did good fighting it, and with just a bow and arrow no less," began Goku before he suddenly swiped the spiral arrow from Nosuke. "I wonder though, where did you get this? It seems to be made out of the same metal as the high grade kunai." Nosuke chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I found the metal while digging with the pack." answered the youthful hunter. "I had two chunks of it, but when I showed one to the adults, they took it from me and congratulated me for a good find. I wasn't about to let them find the second one, so I used it to make special arrow heads like that one there." Goku's ear twitched.

"You made this?" Nosuke nodded in pride. "I'm impressed. Maybe you should've been left with Tenten and her clan. You'd fit right in."

"I'm much happier being with the Inuzuka clan." The boy made a delighted sound as he jumped up and down. "They say next year I'll be given a ninken partner like all the other kids. I hope I get a good one, like the ones in my pack." Goku gave the boy a thumbs up.

"I've gotta go. I'd suggest you find some help to carry this back, but I think you're pack will get there faster than you will." Nosuke was confused, until he was suddenly tackled from behind by the aforementioned pups. He waved by as Goku flew off into the air. Two down, one to go.

Finding Haruka was going to be tough. All he had to go on was that she lived with a white haired man who loved dogs. Yep, so helpful. Goku heard a familiar humming as he approached the park. He noticed a girl skipping down a trail.

She was suddenly surrounded by Ino and her group. Goku frowned at the sadly usual sight.

"Hey there Ino!" greeted the girl. She had long black hair with... Oh, you've heard the onyx eyes one before. Anywho, she wore a red dress with the Uchiha symbol on it, a red hairband, and little red shoes. She certainly liked the color red.

"Hey Haruka." replied Ino. "Quick question, would you happen to know where Sasuke would be hanging out right about now?" Haruka put her finger on her chin as she thought.

"He might be in one of his secret places, but I don't know which one. So, you up for a game of Hopscotch?" Ino's group tightened the circle.

"Do you not know, or do you not want to tell us?" The little Uchiha, oblivious to the threat, just shrugged her shoulders.

"I really don't know Ino. Sorry." A few of the other kids chuckled.

"Alright. Oh by the way, what did he say about coming by to see me some time?" Haruka pushed her fingers together as she looked down.

"He kinda said that he had no time to see anyone the week you suggested, but I can check another week if you're okay with that." Ino stopped smiling as she took a step forward.

"First you lie to me about not knowing where Sasuke is, then you tell me that he said no?" Haruka took a step back, but she bumped into one of the other girls. "Show her what we do to liars."

"I didn't lie. I actually don't know where he is right now. Honest!" One of the girls pounded her fist into her other hand. They were about to pounce, but a hand came down from the sky.

"Grab on Haruka!" shouted Goku. The girl did as told as Goku flew high into the air. He then flew off in the direction of the Hokage manor. Ino's group followed. Goku suddenly took a wide turn and headed back to where they first were. He touched down as Ino was nowhere in sight.

He turned his attention to the Uchiha girl.

"You alright?" asked Goku. Haruka nodded, but then looked down in disappointment. "Cheer up Haruka. I'll let Sasuke know about this." The little girl sighed.

"I thought she was my friend." said Haruka. Goku sighed as he looked to the sky. "I guess I'm not as popular as I thought I was."

"Who needs to be popular? You shouldn't want to be a ninja for the fame. Being a ninja is a serious job." Haruka looked down at the ground.

"It's just... I don't have many friends. I only have the guys and my guardian. It'd just be nice to have friends who are my age and aren't boys." Goku gave her a confused look.

"Do you ever go up to talk to anyone?" The girl shook her head. "Well then there's the problem. You'll never know if someone will be your friend unless you talk to them." Haruka just chuckled.

"Easy for you to say. You already have friends in your class."

"Who I wouldn't have if I didn't try. Except for Lee. He came up to me asking to be my friend, but it wouldn't have happened if I said no. The point is, try talking to people. They might just surprise you. Now, let's get you home before the blonde brigade comes back."

Goku helped Haruka back to her home, then took off. If he stayed just a bit longer, however, he would've seen an ANBU in a dog mask slip into the home. The girl turned around and smiled.

"Welcome back Dog!" greeted the little Uchiha. Dog removed his mask, revealing the identity of her guardian. Instead of revealing his identity, let's move ahead a few weeks. Sasuke was on his way home, doing something no one had seen him do in years. He was smiling.

It was a smirk, but it still was a smile. That smile disappeared when three boys stood in his path. He tried to go around, but they moved to stay in his way. He stopped, increasingly annoyed by the interference.

"What?" asked Sasuke.

"OOH!" shouted one of the teens. "Mr. Uchiha thinks we need a reason to be in the road." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You know exactly what I mean. Why are you purposely blocking my path?" The tallest of them took a step forward.

"We just wanna talk for a bit." Sasuke pushed forward and walked around them. "Surely Mr. Oh So Humble himself can spare some time."

"I'm afraid I have a prior engagement." The smaller teen gasped as Sasuke continued on.

"You're getting married!?" shouted the smallest teen. The boy received a smack on the back of the head by the wide one.

"It means he's busy genius." Corrected the wide one. "You think that what you've got going on is so important that you can't do some small talk?" Sasuke just sighed.

"We did this last year." groaned Sasuke. "I'm not gonna help you cheat and yes, it is that important. Goodbye." Sasuke began to walk away, but he stopped as he hopped to the left and caught a kunai that was thrown at him. He turned to see the group holding a bunch of kunai in hand.

"Well then we'll cut to the chase, or are you gonna be a wimp and run away?" Sasuke just rubbed his temples and groaned. "How are you gonna beat that ugly traitor if..." That's where he crossed the line. Sasuke dashed the wide one and kneed him in the gut.

The tall one jumped at him from behind, but Sasuke just threw him overhead. The short one threw a net at the Uchiha, trying to tangle him up. Sasuke, being in a blind rage, fell for the trap as he struggled to get out. They began to kick at him and thrust him on to the ground. They were about to continue, when a familiar tail wrapped around the tall one's neck.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Goku as he waved his hand through the air. Suddenly, their forms wavered as a genjutsu was expelled. The three kids turned out to be grown Kumo nin. The small one growled as he switched to using jutsu. Goku was hit by a fireball jutsu, but he puffed in smoke.

In his place stood the wide one, burnt from the attack. They looked around, until they noticed they were surrounded by ANBU and Goku clones. The tall one reached for Sasuke, but the only thing in the net was a log. Attached to the log was a paper with a raspberry face drawn on it. The ninjas raised their hands as the ANBU hopped down to arrest them.

Goku looked around for Sasuke, and saw him slip off. He noticed the ANBU named Dog hop down beside him and nod. Goku took this as a sign and followed his friend. He flew above, following Sasuke as he hopped from building to building. He stopped as Sasuke returned to the tree they had lunch in.

He snapped his fingers as he pulled out a scroll. He soon landed beside Sasuke.

"Go away." said Sasuke with a stone cold expression on his face. Goku sat beside him, knowing Sasuke wouldn't do anything extreme. He quickly unfurled the scroll in his possession. Sasuke still looked away, but he was shocked when a whole bowl of dumplings was thrust in his line of sight. Goku just looked away as he waited to hear anything from his friend.

"Heh." chuckled Sasuke. "It's a surprise how the scrolls can keep the contents the same way you put them in." Goku smirked as he felt the bowl leave his hand. He put his hand down as Sasuke began to dig into the meal. Goku looked up to the sky as Sasuke chomped on his fifth dumpling.

"You know they were just using that to..." Sasuke frowned at the start of that sentence.

"Yeah. I should've seen through the genjutsu, but I wanted to get home as soon as possible for our match. Now I'm worried that if I get home I'll have the Hokage checking on me for a week. I don't need to be babied for being one of the last members of my clan." Goku laughed.

"Try being the only known member of your clan. You have no idea how much it took for Uncle Fu to get Grandpa Hiruzen to let me take my recent trip. You'd think I was a prized artifact that needed to be locked away from the rest of the world." Goku and Sasuke began to laugh together. That's when Goku got an idea.

He stood up on the branch.

"What?" asked Sasuke. Goku held his hand out to his friend.

"I have something I wanna do. Come on." Sasuke followed Goku back to what he could only assume was his house. It wasn't the Hokage mansion where he spent most of his time. In fact, it seemed pretty new.

On the gate was a tail wrapping around the moon. Sasuke followed Goku as he hopped over the fence.

"What is this place?" Goku turned to his inquisitive friend.

"It's supposed to be a place for my clan. You're looking at the Toyotomi compound. I'm supposed to move here when I'm old enough to live on my own, so until then I use it as a hang out spot." Goku then motioned for Sasuke to follow, and the Uchiha did just that. They made their way to the kitchen.

Goku then rummaged through the pantry as he pulled out some sake cups. They looked like they were just made. He placed them on the table as he turned to the fridge.

"What are we supposed to do with sake cups?" Goku looked back with a smirk before he continued to rummage through the fridge.

"They say that those who are close enough to each other can become sworn brothers if they make their promise over sake." Sasuke widened his eyes at the monkey boy. Sworn brothers?

"Goku, we aren't even supposed to drink sake at this age." Goku held something behind his back as he turned to Sasuke with a sad expression.

"So you don't want to be my sworn brother?"

"I never said that. I just mean that there has to be another way to do it." Goku smiled as he put a jug of milk on the counter in between them.

"I never said we were gonna do it with sake now did I?" Sasuke just smirked as Goku poured the milk. This was really happening. He didn't really think he'd have a friend like Goku. He picked up his cup and held it close for a few moments.

"I've had a bad experience with brothers, so it should go without say that I put my trust in you." Sasuke then held his cup out, but not reaching all the way with his arm. Goku lifted his in the air.

"Just don't expect me to act all gloomy like you alright?" Sasuke chuckled as Goku held out his arm in the same manner. They stood for a few minutes, before clanking the cups together.

"BROTHERS!" shouted both before they gulped down their milk. Goku wiped his mouth as soon as he finished his milk.

"You know they say that whipping the sake away shows that you're not serious right?" asked Sasuke as he put his cup down. Goku suddenly shouted as he tried to wipe the milk back on to his face. He then stopped as he let the words sink in. He growled with a smile on his face as Sasuke chuckled. "You might need to work on being less gullible."

"Noted." said Goku. They spent that night at the Toyotomi compound. Of course Sasuke had to go back to the Uchiha estate, but he tried his best to be around his sworn brother as often as he could without drawing too much attention. That didn't seem possible right now, however, as he was running to avoid his fangirls. He turned a corner, but found a dead end staring back at him.

He actually looked slightly panicked as the fangirls inched closer. He then smirked as he closed his eyes and raised his hands. The girls, seeing this as his surrender, rushed to meet him. Ino made it to the front of the pack, and leapt forward. That was probably the reason she was the only one to run into the wall.

She followed the other girls' line of sight. She soon saw Goku and Sasuke standing on top of the wall.

"TOYOTOMI!" shouted Ino. "GET DOWN HERE WITH SASUKE RIGHT NOW!" Sasuke looked down at Ino with a scowl.

"Why don't you apologize to Haruka?" asked Sasuke. "Then you might have the same chance all these others have." Ino felt her heart break in two as the other girls shrieked. "The chances are extremely low you know. That puts you at no chance."

The other girls paled as they let those words sink in. Goku turned his gaze to Sasuke.

"You know that was a little cold right?" asked Goku. "You could've just said no." Sasuke shrugged in response.

"You asked me yesterday to be more honest with myself, and that's exactly what I'm doing." Goku just chuckled as he placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Let's go before they decide to grab some ladders." They both jumped to the other side of the wall as they escaped the crazed girls.

 **That's chapter 6 down pat. I know there aren't many changes to this chapter, but there wasn't really anything I felt needed a change or that I wanted to change. Speaking of... the remaining chapters are going to be change city. Especially with the next chapter being renamed. Look forward to that.**

 **Also, I've decided to go back on what I said about Goku's team placement. I just got an awesome idea for his team, and I'm just gonna run with it. You're gonna have to wait till next chapter to see who he's with. **Remember to leave a review down below, and I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.****


	8. Chap 7: Forming Teams, The Hunt Begins

**I'm back! I decided the name change was appropriate since we've already been viewing their adventures. For those who haven't read the original story, this is where we dive into the main cannon of both shows. Without further ado, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto.**

 _Konohagakure, Ninja Academy_

Goku was sitting next to Sasuke, just like any other school day. Today was different from usual, however. This was the last day before the graduation test. Those who passed were to be full fledged ninja genin, while those who failed were to be held back for another year. The whole class waited four years for this day, and all were eager to graduate.

Goku looked back at the other students, spotting a few unfriendly looks directed at him. Despite rumors spread by Ino, Goku made friends with most of the class. He was especially great friends with Kiba Inuzuka and Choji Akimichi. Kiba because of Wolf and Choji because a shared love of food and friendly demeanor. He looked to the front of the class as Iruka Sensei caught their attention.

"Settle down class." ordered the teacher. "I know you're excited for graduation tomorrow, but you still have to get through today." The class did as Iruka said, then he held up a card. "Today I would like you to display the skill to imitate another person."

He placed the card on the desk, then called on the first student. The results were ranged from complete failure to almost perfect. Goku looked off to the side as he waited for his turn. He spotted Mitsuki, an extra sensei who really got on his nerves. He had a dark, untrustworthy aura around him that Goku couldn't ignore.

"Goku." Goku snapped out of his trance as he heard his name called. He hopped over the desk and made his way to Iruka Sensei. He felt like his energy was being suppressed, so he flared it slightly to break it off. He stood in front of the whole class, and then made the correct hand signs.

In a puff of smoke, it looked like Iruka had taken his place. His teacher stood next to him, taking in the sight. Mizuki growled at the saiyan as he smiled at Iruka. The boy was too powerful for his plan to work on him. He watched as the boy looked to the class, still disguised as Iruka.

"Remember to do your homework class, and be ready for graduation tomorrow." said the fake Iruka. The class applauded as Goku returned to normal and took a bow. He took his place beside Sasuke, who was called next. Mitsuki smirked as he tried to increase Sasuke's chances of success. Sasuke noticed it, and glared at the man.

"I don't need any help." warmed Sasuke. "How many times have I told you to leave me alone unless it's important." Mitsuki backed off as Sasuke stood before the class. Iruka shook his head in disappointment as Sasuke made the right symbols. He had almost the exact same amount of success as Goku, though he couldn't entirely get the act and voice down.

Sasuke turned back then took his seat. He would have to inform the Hokage about Mitsuki's annoyance one of these days, but at least he got to sit next to Goku. Speaking of, Goku was paying a bit more attention to the teacher in question. He noticed that he suppressed the chakra of a select few students, making sure to stay away from the next generation of clan heads. He finally made his way down to the person who's dead last, Kiba Inazuka.

Kiba had messy brown hair, sharp black eyes with vertical slit-like pupils, pronounced canine teeth, and the distinctive red fang markings of the Inuzuka clan on his cheeks. He wore dark greyish pants reaching to his calves and a grey, hooded fur-lined coat, over an apparent plate of armor and fishnet undershirt, with a blue forehead protector and blue sandals. His ninken partner, Akamaru was a small puppy with white fur, squinted eyes, a brown nose, as well as brown patches on his ears and a brown outline around his mouth. His fur on top of his head is styled to somewhat resemble a mohawk. Mitsuki smirked at the boy, seeing him as easy prey.

He tried extra hard to suppress the boy's chakra, while trying to avoid detection by the ninken. Kiba used the right hand symbols, but instead of Iruka, he looked like a pudgy version of himself. Iruka frowned and shook his head. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder as he turned back. Goku then shot up from his seat as the bell rang.

He quickly walked out the door with Sasuke on his tail, no pun intended.

"Where are you going Goku?" asked Sasuke. "We have to study for the graduation exam tomorrow." Goku quickly glanced back at Sasuke, but returned his gaze forward as he continued to walk.

"Mitsuki Sensei is up to something Sasuke." answered the monkey boy in a serious tone. "He's going to use Kiba for something, and by the feeling of his aura, it won't be good. I have to inform the Hokage now." Sasuke nodded as he picked up the pace. They reached the Hokage manor, but Goku walked right by it.

Sasuke, puzzled by this, continued to follow the monkey boy as he made his way towards the park. He stopped as he spotted an old man in rags giving candy to children who walked by and bread to those who had nothing to eat. He slowly approached as the man saw to children off. Sasuke was surprised to see Goku walking over to the man. The old man looked over to Goku.

"I'm sorry child." said the old man. "I ran out of candy to give and the bread is..." Goku flew up a bit and moved his lips to the old man's ear, stopping him in his tracks. He whispered into his ear, causing the old man to frown. He nodded then followed the monkey boy over to a secure location.

As Sasuke arrived, the old man went up in smoke. In his place stood the third Hokage, and he still held the unamused look on his face.

"What is this I hear of tampering in the academy?" asked Hiruzen. Goku then explained everything he noticed about Mitsuki, Sasuke throwing in his two cents about Mitsuki pushing his grades up. Hiruzen groaned and rubbed his temples as Goku got to the part about Kiba. "So you're telling me that one of the teachers is not only trying to pass young Sasuke with ease, but he's messing with young Kiba Inuzuka's scores for some undetermined reason?" Goku and Sasuke nodded in response.

"It's all Mitsuki Sensei." Hiruzen looked at the boys. Knowing their records, both were exceptional students and wouldn't have any reason to despise their teacher to the point of sabotage. It would also show the reason behind Kiba's sudden grade drop. He may have been headstrong and impulsive, but he was by no means an idiot.

"I thank you for bringing this to my attention. It seems that in my old age and over working, I've let the academy become poisoned by one of our own. I will see to it that Mitsuki will be brought to justice once his plan comes to light." Sasuke suddenly took a step forward, a smirk on his face.

"I believe I have a plan." informed the Uchiha heir. The next day, Kiba sat at his desk, waiting for his turn to take the final part of the test. He had seen many other students leave with their forehead protectors, and just as many going without. He groaned as yet another kid was called before him. He watched as Sakura walked into the room for her test.

He looked down as Akamaru, his ninken, pawed at his leg. He smiled as he petted the dog's head. He soon saw Sakura walk out with forehead protector in hand. He stood up as Iruka walked out of the room. He looked over to Kiba, a serious but friendly smile on his face.

"Last one Kiba." said Iruka as the boy ran into the room. He sat sown beside Mitsuki as Kiba stood in front of them. All he had to do was make a simple clone, and he had actually done some studying to make sure he got it right. He put his hands together and began the jutsu. A puff of smoke appeared beside him.

He looked down to see a limp version of himself on the ground. Mitsuki snickered as he stopped suppressing the boy's chakra.

"I can do it!" said Kiba. "Give me one more chance!" Iruka shook his head.

"I'm sorry Kiba, but I can't pass you with an unfunctional clone." Akamaru growled, but not at Iruka. He had gotten a weird smell off of the other sensei. Iruka looked down to see the dog growl. He looked over to Mitsuki to see his smile turn into a frown.

"I think you've been in here long enough." said Mitsuki. "It's time to head home." Kiba was confused by the growling ninken, but he just hung his head in shame as he walked out of the room. On his way home, Akamaru growled again as he looked over to a building. Mitsuki walked out from the view of the wall.

"Hey Sensei." greeted Kiba in sadness.

"I think Iruka should've given you a second chance with the clone test. You really have promise as a ninja, but your grades are holding you back. Luckily, there is a secret test." Kiba gave him a confused look. "There's a scroll hidden somewhere in the village, and if you can get it and bring it to the academy by nightfall, you can graduate."

Kiba suddenly burst into a smile. He had another chance!?

"Really?" He was suddenly hushed by Mitsuki.

"You didn't hear it from me. Now you better find it before the day is over." Mitsuki suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kiba was about to run off, when Akamaru tugged at his pants leg. He kneeled down and listened to the grunts and whines of the dog.

"What's the problem Akamaru? We have to find that scroll before..." Someone suddenly dropped down behind him. He turned around to get a look at the person. "What do you want?"

 _Later that night._

Mitsuki snickered to himself as the jonins got to work trying to find Kiba. The boy actually did it, and quite easily if he did say so himself. He stole the forbidden scroll and ran off with it. His plan was going better than he could ever hope. He slipped away as he made his way to the meeting stop.

He finally arrived as he found Kiba holding the scroll. The man's smirk couldn't get any bigger.

"Well done Kiba." congratulated the traitorous ninja. "I knew you had it in you. Now just give me the scroll and you'll graduate. I'd love to welcome you too the ninja corps." The boy looked down at the scroll, then looked back up to Mitsuki.

"What's so special about this scroll?" asked the Inuzuka. "I had to evade multiple ninja that I know weren't teachers in the academy. There's no way that it's just a fake." Mitsuki frowned at him. The boy was becoming too curious.

"It's nothing you need to worry about Kiba. There's nothing important in that scroll. Now hand me the scroll."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I took a look inside." Kiba went to open the scroll as Mitsuki reached for a kunai.

"Give me the scroll or..."

"I want in." Mitsuki jerked back his head in surprise. "I know you've got something special in mind, and this scroll was too heavily guarded to be for some test. I want in on it." Mitsuki smiled at the surprise development.

"It'll mean turning away from the village. Can you handle that?" Kiba gave him an evil smirk.

"No one respects me anyway. If it weren't for the darned idiots teaching the academy I'd already be a shinobi. No offense to you. You actually cared if I succeeded or not." Mitsuki dropped down and put his hand on Kiba's shoulder.

"This scroll contains Konoha's most powerful and secretive jutsu. From the Shadow Clone Jutsu to even more powerful and dangerous ones. Once I learn all the secrets within, I will be able to rule Konoha with an iron fist. I'm sorry, I meant we." He suddenly heard Kiba laugh as he pushed against the bridge of his nose.

"You really don't know what to look for in a trap do you." said Kiba in a completely different voice. Mitsuki stood back, then noticed the absence of something important to the Inuzuka clan. Akamaru was not present, and the Inuzuka took their ninken with them everywhere. 'Kiba' disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced by Fu Nisekuma. Mitsuki pulled out his kunai as the scroll transformed into Fu's sword.

"Konoha's false demon. You certainly know how to spring a trap, but how on earth did you find out about this?" Fu rested the back of his katana across his shoulders.

"One of your students caught on to your little pretest yesterday. He sensed the chakra you used in the genjutsu to suppress the student's chakra."

 _Flashback_

 _We see the one who dropped down behind Kiba was Sasuke. The boy turned to stare him in the eye. Akamaru had calmed down in the presence of the Uchiha heir._

 _"What do you want?" asked Kiba. "I'm kinda busy right now." Sasuke walked closer, his face not faltering._

 _"Mitsuki's using you for his own purpose. Goku sensed him messing with your energy levels using a genjutsu."_

 _"That's a lie!" Sasuke pointed down to Akamaru._

 _"Don't believe me, then ask you're ninken if I'm lying." Kiba didn't want to believe him, but Akamaru let him know that he smelled no lie in what he said. He growled at being cheated out of his spot as a Genin. He looked up at Sasuke._

 _"I'm taking this straight to the Hokage."_

 _He was about to walk away, when Sasuke put a hand on his shoulder. Kiba looked confused as Sasuke turned him around._

 _"We already took it to him, but the Hokage needs evidence to put him away. That's why we need your help. What did he tell you just now?" Kiba hesitantly told Sasuke everything, then Sasuke told the hiding ANBU everything. Fu was the one chosen for the deed._

 _End Flashback_

Mitsuki was surprised by how he was easily noticed by one of his students. He could only count two that could've sensed it, but only one of the Hyūgas was in his class. The problem was that Fu said he, and Hinata was the only Hyūga in his class. Could it have been the Toyotomi boy who so easily threw off the genjutsu with a twitch of his body? He focused as he tightened his group on the kunai in his hand.

"You can't defeat me." declared Mitsuki. "You just became a Jonin four years ago, while I've been a Chunin for much longer. You don't have the experience to take me down." Fu smirked as he threw his sword into a tree and held his arms behind his back. Mitsuki gave him a puzzling look as Fu smirked.

"Then prove it." doubted Fu as he closed his eyes. "Strike me while I'm unarmed. I won't even block your attempts." Mitsuki smirked as he rushed at him.

"You assume there will be more than one." He swung the weapon, and the world seemed to move in slow motion. Fu hopped out of the way as if he was at normal speed. Mitsuki stumbled a he caught himself. He looked up to see Fu still had his eyes closed.

 **(Insert Cha La Head Cha La by Flow)**

"You assume that I only use sight." Mitsuki growled as he rushed him again. Mitsuki swung his blade, and Fu dodged with ease. They continued this over and over while Fu got faster and faster. It finally got to a point where Mitsuki actually hit him. It was a short celebration, however, as Fu didn't even have a scratch.

Mitsuki watched as Fu Nisekuma slowly faded away. "You should've worked on your sensory skills instead of how fast you can kill something." The man turned around to see Fu standing behind him. He had just struck an afterimage!

"Impossible! No one can move at such speeds! Even the legendary Sanin couldn't do it!" Fu smirked as he slowly walked towards Mitsuki. The man was about to strike, when Fu kicked him straight in the gut.

"My turn." Fu opened his eyes as he assaulted Mitsuki at the same speed he used to dodge all the attacks. Fu threw multiple punches and kicks at Mitsuki before landing a hard uppercut to the traitors gut. The man grabbed his gut as he gaged. Mitsuki threw the kunai at him, but Fu quickly caught the weapon in his hand. Mitsuki threw more, but Fu deflected them all with the small blade.

Mitsuki pulled out a large shuriken, then prepared to throw it. Fu smiled as he disappeared, leaving the traitor to try and find him. He reappeared next to his sword and grabbed the handle. Mitsuki threw the giant weapon as Fu swiped his sword out of the tree. The shuriken was about to hit him, when the tree fell on top of it and Mitsuki.

 **(End Track)**

Mitsuki groaned in pain as he tried to push the tree off of him, but the false demon quickly rendered him unconscious. Fu easily lifted the tree as ANBU ops surrounded the traitorous Chunin. They hoisted him up and dragged him away. When Iruka arrived, Fu explained the whole situation to him. He groaned at how his friend had fallen so far.

"I believe Kiba deserves to graduate after all this chaos." said Fu. "Wouldn't you agree?" Iruka nodded his head, feeling guilty for not believing in his student.

"I understand." replied Iruka. "I never thought he would do something like this. How could I let him fall this far?" Fu nodded in sympathy.

"Some people change over the years, no matter how much we try to help them." Fu suddenly sped off as he returned home. Sure enough, Kiba was requested to come to the school early to retake the last test, and he indeed passed. Goku had decided to walk to the school on his own, not feeling the need to walk. He wanted to take his time as a lot went down the day before.

He wouldn't be on his own for long, however, as he soon ran into Hinata, who was also walking to the academy. She was wearing the top of the Nisekuma school gi, the pants from her original outfit, black ninja sandals, and an armband with the Hyūga clan emblem. She turned her attention to the boy, a smile on her face.

"Oh. H...hello Goku-kun." greeted Hinata. Goku smiled as he held his hands behind his head.

"Hey Hinata." replied Goku. He noticed that she had her forehead protector wrapped around her neck. "That headband suites you." Hinata slightly blushed at the compliment, when someone wrapped their arm around her shoulder. She turned to see Sakura smiling at her.

"There you two are!" shouted Sakura. "Let's walk to the academy together, just in case we end up on the same team." Goku smiled as his forehead protector shone from it's spot on his head.

"That's a great idea!" He got between them as they made their way to the academy. When they arrived, Sakura strangely didn't get into the argument of who was going to end up on Sasuke's team. She had no doubt that she'd be the one on his team, as she studied the trends for team placing before hand and knew that the best kunoichi was paired with rookie of the year and dead last. She straightened her forehead protector as it held her pink hair together.

Kiba suddenly walked over to where Goku and Sasuke sat with a determined and serious look on his face.

"Sasuke, I've come to thank you... and apologize." said Kiba. Sasuke raised his eyebrow at the Inuzuka. "If it weren't for you and Goku, I would've become a criminal and helped Mitsuki Sensei with his dark deed. Goku could've been the one to tell me, but you came to tell me yourself. I used to think you were a stuck up jerk, but I was wrong."

Sasuke tsked as he looked away. Only Goku saw the smirk on his face.

"It was nothing." replied Sasuke, his usual scowl returning. "Don't expect me to save you all the time dobe." Kiba frowned at him for a bit, but then he smiled as he caught on.

"I'll make sure you don't have to buddy." Kiba quickly ran back to his seat as Sasuke gave him an angry look.

"Who said I was your buddy!" Goku put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Give it a rest Sasuke." groaned Goku with a smile on his face. "Making a friend won't lower your cool factor or mess with your image. I mean I've been your friend for four years now and no one looks at you differently for it." Sasuke groaned as he looked back to the front of the room. Suddenly, Iruka appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Everyone take your seats." ordered Iruka Sensei. All graduates suddenly found their usual spots. "Today is the day teams are assigned. Each of you will be separated into three man squads led by a Jonin instructor." The graduates nodded and voiced their understanding as Iruka held up a clip board to read.

Iruka read over the paper on the board, then looked to the class. "Before that, however, let's announce the top students." Anticipation filled the room as the students waited for the announcement. "The top kunoichi this year, is Hinata Hyūga." Sakura gaped as the class applauded Hinata. The Hyūga blushed as she nervously bowed her head in gratitude.

"HOW COULD SHE BE THE TOP KUNOICHI!?" shouted Ino in anger. "I know my grades are better then that monkey lover!" She jerked as she felt Goku's rage stare land on her. "Hahaha… I just want to know why." 'That boy is scary as heck.'

"Actually Ino, Hinata's grades slightly exceed those of the runner up, Sakura Haruno." As happy as Sakura was for the Hyūga heiress, Hinata had just taken her one chance to be with Sasuke. "Anyway, since Sasuke declined the title of Rookie of the year due to tampering from other teachers, the title will go to the runner up, Goku Toyotomi." The sworn brothers fist bumped as Sakura sighed. That meant team matchups would mostly be unpredictable.

The class murmured amongst themselves until Iruka quieted them with a cough. "Now, without further ado, let's go over the assigned teams." He went over the various teams, a certain monkey boy frowning as more and more of his friends got paired without him.

'I have so many people I want on my team.' thought Goku as he looked to Sasuke. 'It makes me nervous just thinking about who will be on my team.' Iruka looked up from the board as he readied to call the next team to be named.

"Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Shino Aburame. You will form Team 7 under the leadership of your Jonin instructor who will be... late." Sakura celebrated as Sasuke nodded to Shino. "Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. You three will form Team 10 under the leadership of your Jonin instructor Asuma Sarutobi."

Ino then slammed her hands against the desk.

"Why do I have to be stuck with Slack Off and Expansion Boy while Sakura gets to be with Sasuke-kun?!" shouted Ino in protest. She was sure that she'd be on the same team as Sasuke. Sakura stuck her tongue out at her rival in victory.

"The heads of your respective clans requested you be a team. They wanted you to be the next generation of the Shika-Ino-Cho formation." Ino groaned as Iruka went over a few more teams. "Team 9 is still in circulation. Finally, Goku Toyotomi, Hinata Hyūga, and Kiba Inuzuka. You three will form the last team, Team 8, under Kurenai Yūhi."

Hinata felt her heart skip a beat as she looked down at Goku. The boy looked to her with his trademark smile. She had to use every ounce of development she gained to not faint right there. Kiba pumped his fist as Akamaru barked in happiness. "You will wait here until your instructor calls for you."

One by one, the instructors came in and retrieved their Genin team. Soon, the only teams left were Team 7 and Team 8. Hinata walked over to Goku with her hands behind her back. She stopped as he turned to her.

"I... I look forward to being on the s...same team G...Goku-kun." stumbled Hinata as her face ran red.

"It's gonna be awesome!" shouted Goku. "I was worried that I'd get someone like Ino, but knowing you're on my team makes it all worth while." Hinata sighed as Goku's enthusiasm and positive outlook were always a nice breather. She wanted to lean in and give the saiyan a huge hug, but she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders as Kiba propped himself on both his teammates.

"This is gonna be the best team ever!" shouted Kiba as Akamaru jumped up on his shoulders. "I can't wait for our instructor to get here so we can get this party started!"

The two teams waited a long time, but their respective instructor were taking forever to arrive. Each member did their own thing to pass the time. Sasuke was reading a book on dojutsu that Goku got him for his birthday, Sakura watched Sasuke read, Goku meditated in midair, Hinata sat on her own as she occasionally glanced at Goku, and Kiba was playing with Akamaru. Goku opened his eye and looked back at Sasuke and Sakura. He made an inaudible hum and gestured to Sakura with his hand.

Sasuke sighed as he looked up from his book. He turned his glance back to Sakura, who suddenly looked away in embarrassment.

"Hey." said Sasuke. Sakura blinked for a bit, trying to process what was going on.

"You mean me?" asked Sakura as she pointed to herself.

"Did you hear me say anyone else's name? Might as well communicate since we're now on the same team and our instructor is obviously late." Sakura internally screamed with Joy as she moved down to sit next to Sasuke. She tried to find something to talk about. "You're Sakura right?"

"You know my name?" Sasuke sighed in annoyance. Was this girl dense?

"One, we've been in the same class for four years. Two, you're one of Goku's friends, and he talks about his friends a lot." Sakura voiced her understanding, before sighing in pure bliss. She suddenly noticed the book he had on the desk. That's when an idea sparked.

"What're you reading?" Sasuke looked down at his book and smirked.

"It's a book on various dojutsu that Goku got me. I'm studying them to be prepared for when I unlock my Sharingan and if I have to face off against a fellow dojutsu user." He suddenly frowned as he remembered that tragic day years ago. He had to be prepared to face off against the martyr of his clan. He was suddenly brought out of his thunk as a bug landed on his neck.

Sakura, feeling the same thing, slowly moved her hand to the back of her neck.

 _'Don't do that.'_ said a voice telepathically. They looked to Sasuke's left, seeing Shino Aburame sitting right beside him. _'It's a communication beetle. It allows those who have them to speak to each other with their minds. Name's Shino Aburame, but I guess Goku would've told you about me.'_

Sakura shivered as the bug stayed on her. She had forgotten Shino was on her team. She really hoped he would tell her if he places any bugs on them. _'That's a definite.'_ Sakura was starting to get annoyed with the Aburame, but then the door to the room slid open.

A tall man with silver hair that shifted off to the left entered the room. He wore a forehead protector in a slanted position to cover his left eye and a mask over the lower half of his face. The rest of his attire included a a flak jacket, dark blue pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and fingerless gloves with metal plates on the backhand. In his hand he held a strange book, but he did well to block the name of it. He closed the book and put it away as he stood in front of his team.

He looked over them, silently judging them based on apparent weaknesses and strengths. He took interest in Goku as the boy lowered to the ground.

'So this is the nephew of Konoha's False Demon?' thought the jonin as his team stared at him. He cleared his throat as he prepared to speak. "Follow me Team 7. We're going to the roof." The team nodded as they followed their instructor. Goku waved his sworn brother goodbye as the door shut behind the team.

Hours went by, and there was still no sign of Team 8's Jonin instructor. They were beginning to become worried. Kiba was more annoyed as he wondered when she would arrive, while Goku and Hinata were generally concerned for their soon to be sensei. Hinata had finally found the courage to sit beside Goku, the boy happy to have her company. Suddenly, the door was quickly opened as a woman entered the room.

Kurenai Yūhi was a fair-skinned woman of slender build. She had long black untamed hair reaching her upper back, and very unique eyes that are red in color, with an additional ring in them. She wore red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Her outfit consisted of a red mesh armor blouse with only the right sleeve visible, bandaging on her hands and thighs, the standard forehead protector, and regular shinobi sandals.

The woman cleared her throat as she regained her composure.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." apologized Kurenai. "You wouldn't believe how long it took to take care of some complications at the grocery store. Anyway, you must be Team 8." She received nods all around, she sighed as she looked them over. "Come with me. We're going out for dinner as an apology, my treat."

Goku grinned at the prospect of free food, hoping she chose Ichiraku's. He wasn't really upset when she took them to a barbecue restaurant. He quickly entered the building with his team, then took a seat. Hinata blushed intensely as she slowly took the seat next to Goku. They quickly grabbed up their menus as they got the meal underway.

Kurenai instantly felt a pain in her wallet as she saw all the food on the table. Five of the plates belonged to one Genin in particular. Goku rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as a sixth plate was set before him. 'This kid will put a damp in my paycheck.' Goku and Kiba lifted their hands in the air as they prepared to eat.

"ITADAKIMASU!" shouted both boys as they began to chow down. Akamaru also dug into the specialized kibble the restaurant offered them. Hinata felt sweat run down her face as she slowly began to eat the salad in front of her. Goku looked over to Hinata, getting the feeling that she didn't really enjoy eating the vegetation. Grabbing an extra fork, he cut out a piece of his second, untouched chicken parmesan and handed the fork to her.

"Try this Hinata." offered Goku. "It's really good." Hinata blushed at the gesture, unsure if she could forsake her diet planned by her father. Temptation took over, however, as she grabbed the utensil and took a bite. She had never had such wonderful tastes enter her mouth.

"C...can I have some more G...Goku-kun?" asked Hinata, embarrassed at her supposed weakness. Goku shoved the untouched plate over to her, bringing a shocked expression to her face.

"You can have the rest of it. What I have here should be enough to fill me." Touched by the boy's kindness, and not one to turn down such a generous gift, Hinata pushed her salad to the side and went to work on the chicken before her. After they ate a bit, Kurenai cleared her throat.

"So, let's get to know each other." said Kurenai. "I'll start as the example. My name is Kurenai Yūhi. I like sweets, my friends, and the way Akamaru's chasing his tail." The team looked to Akamaru, Goku holding back laughter as Akamaru tried to catch the elusive appendage. "I dislike those who take advantage of others and abandon their friends. My dream is... not important."

Kiba raised his hand, feeling a little competitive.

"I'll go next!" shouted Kiba. "Name's Kiba Inuzuka, and this is my ninken Akamaru. I like playing with Akamaru, looking for buried treasure with Wolf, and overall just having fun. I dislike the idiots who abuse animals and claim that cats are better than dogs. Our dream is to be the best Ninken and ninja team in the whole world."

'He's definitely the hotheaded type, but it's good to know he has a big heart.' thought Kurenai as she nodded. "I'm sure you can do it Kiba." She then turned to Hinata. "Why don't you go next Hinata?" The girl and question nervously nodded as she gathered her courage.

"M...my name is Hinata Hyūga. I... I like spending time with my friends, my sister Hanabi, and..." She started to look to Goku, but refrained as she decided to move on. "I dislike people who think little of me, and those who look down on my friends. My dream is to end the bad blood between the main and branch houses of my clan by finding out how to remove a certain seal."

Kurenai knew exactly what seal Hinata was talking about, and found it admirable of her to try and fix her own clan. She was also impressed that someone raised the way she was finding it in her to not stutter at that kind of declaration. She felt like a proud mother. The girl quickly returned to her timid nature as Goku patted her shoulder. Kurenai chucked at the Hyūga heiress.

"A very admirable ambition Hinata. Now that leaves you." Goku nodded as he put his fork down.

"My name is Goku Toyotomi." introduced Goku. "I like hanging with my friends, eating ramen, cooking dumplings, training, and helping those I care about. I dislike those who abuse their power, those who mess with my friends, and the time it takes to cook ramen. My dream... is undecided."

'That's a lot of likes compared to dislikes, but all are equal in in importance to him.' Kurenai sighed with a smile as the saiyan chomped down on his last bite of bread. "Alright, we'll meet at training ground 8 for the team test tomorrow." Kiba groaned at those words.

"We just passed the graduation test!" shouted Kiba. "Why the heck do we have to do we have to do another one!?" Kurenai frowned at the Inuzuka, causing him to shrink back in his chair.

"This test is to determine if you're really ready for the life of a ninja. I might think your capable, but the test must be done." The Genin nodded in understanding, bringing a smile to her face. "Good, I have to stay and pay for the meal, but you're all dismissed. See you tomorrow."

They bid Kurenai goodbye as they exited the restaurant. The woman sighed as the waiter brought over her large bill. Kiba had ran back home early to get ready for the next day, leaving Goku and Hinata by themselves. Hinata was trying her best not to faint as she walked alongside the monkey boy. Goku didn't entirely know what to do, seeing as he couldn't exactly offer to train with her after a very stress filled day.

"So, uh, guess I'll see you tomorrow then." said Goku as he floated in the air. Hinata slowly nodded, unable to say anything in return. The two took off to their respective homes. The next day, Goku arrived at the training ground early.

He laid a scroll out on the ground, releasing a table from it. He quickly did the same with two other scrolls, unleashing two bowls of dumplings from each. He wanted to repay Kurenai-sensei for buying them that meal, even if it was her way of apologizing. He smirked as he set up some civil ware. His ear twitched as he turned to a nearby tree.

"You guys can come on over! I made this for all of us!" Hinata slowly walked out from behind the tree, blushing at how she was easily discovered. Kiba more abruptly hopped out from behind his hiding spot as he and Akamaru rushed over to the table. Goku waited for the two to be seated before joining them.

His teammates each took a bite. Kiba imagined thousands of dumpling warriors dancing around his tongue as they conquered it. Akamaru had the same reaction from a dumpling his partner dropped. Hinata felt a stream of flavor run through her, making her melt in delight. The two suddenly began to eat much faster, making Goku feel awkward.

"How did you make these so good!?" shouted Kiba. "I've never tasted any of these flavors in my life!" Hinata forgot her stutter as she swallowed one of her dumplings.

"I can't believe something so heavenly actually exists." complemented Hinata. Goku blushed as he rubbed the back of his head. He hadn't had a girl his age complement his dumplings before.

"Really guys, they're nothing special." argued Goku. "I just followed the recipe with a few tweaks." One of the bowls was slammed on the table. All eyes widened as Kurenai sat at the other end of the table.

"Nothing special?" asked Kurenai. She lifted her face, a large smile plastered on it. "There's no way these are regular dumplings! There's so much flavor and passion in them!" It took her a bit to realize that she was acting weird in front of the Genin, then cleared her throat.

She stood up, gesturing for the others to do the same. "Goku, could you please put these away so we can start the test?" Goku nodded as he unfurled some scrolls, sealing all the stuff he brought within them. Kiba groaned as he longed for more of the delicacy. "The test is simple. You have to find me before the day's end."

"So it's a big game of hide and seek?" asked Goku. "I'm guessing jutsu and weapons are allowed." Kurenai nodded in response.

"I'm impressed kid. You aren't the Rookie of the Year for nothing." Goku rubbed the back of his head at the mention of his achievement. "If you pass, you'll be an official Genin team. If you fail, you'll be sent back to the academy."

"WHAT!?" shouted Kiba. "That's no fair! We worked hard to get here!"

"Failure means you obviously aren't ready for the ninja life. Being sent back to the academy is better then being banned from the shinobi corps." Kiba lowered his head at the Jonin's words. "Anyway, your test starts now." In an instant, she disappeared using the body flicker technique.

Kiba was about to make her eat her words, but Goku grabbed him by the collar.

"Huddle up!" shouted Goku. Hinata blushed as she was pulled close to Goku in the huddle. She really had to get a hold of herself. "We obviously have to do it as a team, otherwise there's a possibility that not all of us will get in."

"T...hat would go against the three man team system." added Hinata, receiving a nod from Goku.

"So how the heck are we gonna find her without splitting up?" asked Kiba. "She could be anywhere." Goku smirked as he pulled out a small scroll. He put on a glove as he unsealed a fork. "A fork?"

Goku ignored the Inuzuka as he brought the fork to Akamaru.

"Ninken can be used to track missing people or target enemies." Kiba dropped his fist into his hand, getting Goku's point.

"Akamaru. Track Kurenai-sensei." The ninken barked as he sniffed the civil ware. He sniffed the air a few times, then barked again as he ran towards the village. They followed the dog for a bit, before he finally ended up at a plaza.

Akamaru made a few whining noises to Kiba, who seemed to understand the noises. "There are too many people for him to find her specific scent. We're on our own from here." Goku nodded as he looked to Hinata. He closed his eyes as he sensed for her energy.

He walked forward, his teammates following right behind him. He soon approached a store, almost about to walk in. Hinata quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him in front of a sweets shop. He opened his eyes, noticing that he was about to walk into a hardware store.

"The energy is from over here G...Goku-kun." said Hinata. Goku chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"My bad." laughed Goku. "Thanks Hinata." The girl continued to blush as Team 8 entered the shop. Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan, instantly finding Kurenai eating a sugar cookie.

Kurenai looked out the window, keeping an eye out for her Genin. She wondered if they even got the point of the exercise. She took another bite of her cookie, but stopped as it was followed by another chewing sound. She turned to see Kiba eating a doughnut while Hinata sat across from her.

"Hey Smenshei." greeted Kiba as he talked with his mouth full. Akamaru barked as he chewed on a sugar bone. "We found you." Kurenai was prepared to try and bolt since Goku was nowhere to be seen. She slumped in her seat as Goku brought over two stacked marshmallows on sticks.

"I got you one too Hinata." said Goku as he handed the sweets to the heiress. She blushed as she slowly took it from his hand. "I even picked out strawberry for you." Hinata silently thanked the young Toyotomi as she took a bite of the sweet. Suffice to say she enjoyed it.

"Well, looks like you guys were able to work as a team to find me." said Kurenai. "In all honesty I could've found a hiding place instead of letting my sweet tooth guide me here. In any case, you all pass. We'll meet at Training Ground 8 every day for training. You're all dismissed."

"Cool." said Kiba as he swallowed the last bite of doughnut. "Thanks for buying sensei." Before Kurenai could object, Kiba ran out the door. What was she gonna do with that boy. Suddenly, Goku placed some yen on the table.

"It's on me Kurenai-Sensei." said Goku. "Come on Hinata. Let's go find the others to see how their day went." Goku grabbed Hinata by the hand, pulling the poor tomato along. Kurenai chuckled as she finished her cookie. 'This team is shaping up to be a good one.'

 _Time Branch 147, Mt. Pazou_

Naruto stood over the water as he waited for his prey. He staid silent as he watched the water ripple. He closed his eyes as he focused, searching for an energy signature. He suddenly leapt back and threw his kunai where he once stood. A large fish came out of the water as the kunai hit it straight in the gills.

Naruto threw his hands into a familiar hand sign.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" shouted Naruto. A large column of smoke rose above him. Multiple Naruto clones stood like a tower on top of each other. They held on as the one on top grabbed the fish. They pulled with all their might as they slung it at a nearby tree.

It flopped on the ground as the Naruto tower reached the land. A good portion of the clones disappeared, leaving only four and the original. They then huffed as they lifted the fish on their shoulders. They started their trek back with their... his lunch. Naruto frowned as he remembered it would be just him.

It was almost a year ago that Grandpa Gohan passed away. He had given Naruto all of his belongings, including the orb that he kept on a pedestal. Naruto had been living on his own ever since. He couldn't bring himself to go into town for stuff. He didn't think he could handle the condolences of all the people from town. He brushed it off as they reached the house.

Two extra clones who were keeping watch came over and opened a large freezer that Uncle Fu had given Naruto. The six of them stuffed the fish in the freezer, then stood back for a moment. Naruto shut the door, then turned to his clones.

"Training time guys, and don't let me catch you messing around." informed the original Naruto. The clones nodded as they took off to work on different forms of training. Naruto sat down as he looked around the hut. It was so empty without his adopted grandfather. He was about to relax, when the memories of one of his shadow clones flashed into his head.

He saw the clone running through the forest, when a car ran him over. He growled as he took off to where the clone was. When he arrived, he saw a blue haired girl looking around as if she had seen something crazy. She wore a pair of brown boots, gray pants and a blue jacket with a white tank top underneath. He whistled to catch her attention, their respective blue eyes met.

"Watch where you drive lady!" shouted Naruto. "If that hadn't been a shadow clone I would've been killed!" The girl blinked multiple times, before screaming as if she'd seen a ghost. He hopped down from the tree and slowly approached her. She looked him over for a bit, before deciding to just go with the flow.

"Maybe have your, whatever you called it, watch where he's running!" argued the girl. "This is a road you know! It's not exactly a playground!" Naruto crossed his arms in frustration.

"Well excuse me if the road just happened to be in the path of my shinobi training!" The girl gulped at the boy.

"Shinobi? Like a ninja?" Naruto nodded. The girl then took a few steps back, but then looked him over again. "Yeah right kid."

Naruto groaned then threw a kunai to the right. It stabbed into a nearby deer, causing it to fall over. Bulma looked on in awe, before turning to back to the boy to see him standing upside down on a branch. He walked down the tree and stood before her yet again. He then smirked as he thought she was impressed.

It was only the sound of a thud that made him realize that he freaked her out. He opened his eyes to see her passed out on the ground. He poked her face a few times, trying to wake her up. He began to panic, when he suddenly got an idea. He whistled, calling over a few of his clones.

"What did you do boss?" asked one of the clones. Naruto gave the clone an angry look as he pointed to the unconscious girl.

"All I did was show off my ninja skills, and she passed out!" shouted the original. "I didn't even touch her!" The clones sounded their suspicion. "Just help me get her and her car back to the hut. I ain't gonna leave someone out here for the wolves."

The clones shuddered. This part of the mountain had a bad history with wolves attacking vulnerable travelers in the area. They nodded, then two of them lifted the unconscious girl. One of them hopped on top of the car. He looked around as he kept guard.

"We don't know how to drive." reminded the one on top of the car. "How are we gonna..." He suddenly stepped on a small button on top, and the car dissapeared in a puff of smoke. He screamed as he fell to the ground. He sat up, then spotted a small capsule on the ground.

He picked it up to examine it, then put in his pocket as he was called by one of the clones. Later, the girl woke up laying down in a bed. She suddenly shot up as she looked around. She breathed a sigh of relief to see that she wasn't locked in a cage or something. She was about to explore, when a certain blonde shinobi entered the room with a plate.

"Glad to see you're awake." said Naruto as he placed the plate on a table in front of her. She looked down to see a grilled piece of fish on the plater. "You passed out from my awesome ninja skills. Sorry about that by the way. I didn't think that my techniques would be so surprising."

The girl slowly nodded, then began to eat the fish provided. She watched as Naruto tidied up the place. She got to the last piece, when she suddenly choked as he dusted a certain object. Naruto looked away from his cleaning as his guest stood straight up. She sped walked over to his grandfather's orb.

"A dragon ball!" shouted the girl. She picked it up to observe it. It was indeed the four star dragon ball. She looked at it intensely, when a hand came down from the roof and pulled it away. She looked up to see Naruto standing on the roof.

"Didn't anyone teach you not to grab things that don't belong to you without permission?" Naruto hopped down, causing the girl to take a few feet back. He gently placed it back on the pedestal, before turning to his guest with his arms crossed. She tried to walk around him, but he quickly stood in her way multiple times. "Why is my grandfather's orb so important to you, and what do you know about it?"

The girl looked at him with a nervous smile.

"It's nothing important to you, so why don't you just give it to me and I'll be on my way?" Naruto growled and glared.

"It's one of the last things I have to help me remember my grandfather. I'm not gonna hand it over to some strange girl I don't even know. So either you tell me and give me a reason to let you stay, or I kick you out for being a thief. You're choice." Naruto's guest groaned at the boy's antics.

She really didn't have a choice, since he was perfectly capable of kicking her out or worst. She groaned as she pulled something out of her bag and placed it on the table. It was another dragon ball, more specifically the one star dragon ball. One of Naruto's clones came over and stood guard over the four star dragon ball as the original observed the other one. He looked over it, then turned to the girl for an explanation.

"They're called the dragon balls. There are seven of them in all. If you gather them together, they can grant you any one wish you desire. I was hoping to collect them all this summer to grant me a wish." Naruto pondered over her explanation.

Being trained in the art of the shinobi, he could tell that there was no lie in her words. Magical wish orbs though? That sounded like a miracle, but also a huge threat. They were definitely objects that needed to be kept apart. An idea suddenly sparked in his head.

"Alright. I'll let you take the dragon ball, but I have two conditions." The girl nodded her head. "One, Grandpa's dragon ball must be returned to me when it's all said and done. I want to make sure I have something to remember him by."

His guest groaned, but conceded as she nodded her head.

"And the other condition?"

"I'm coming with you." The girl gave him a surprised look.

"What?!"

"I want to make sure the dragon ball comes back with me. Plus there are tons of people who would use them for nefarious purposes, and you don't want to find out what they'll do to you to get them." His guest gulped at the notion. She hadn't thought about that part. "Do we have a deal?"

Naruto stretched out his hand. The girl looked down for a moment, then shook his hand.

"Fine, but don't you dare try anything funny." Naruto smiles as he held his hands behind his head.

"My grandfather and uncle raised me better then that. You have nothing to fear. I'm Son Naruto."

"Bulma Briefs." Naruto snickered at her, before entering a fit of laughter. "Ha ha. Laugh it up Fishcake." Naruto stopped laughing as he recalled his clones.

"We leave in the morning. I'll sleep on the roof." Bulma looked outside to see that it was already past dark. She watched as he walked over to the door. "Night."

"Night." Naruto hopped out of the room, leaving his guest to get some more sleep. The next morning, Bulma awoke to the smell of cooking meat. She sat up from her spot, then noticed the capsule for her car on the table with a note beside it. She put the capsule away, then read the note.

"Forgot to give this to you yesterday." read Bulma. "Your car turned into this little thing when I accidentally stepped on the button. Hope I didn't break it or anything. Naruto."

She shook her head as she exited the hut. The first thing she noticed was that Naruto was grilling the deer he killed yesterday. The next thing was that his clones were packing up his stuff. She then turned to see a Naruto clone placing the dragon balls on top of a scroll. She freaked out when the wish orbs disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Don't worry Bulma." reassured the original Naruto as he took the deer off the fire. "That's just a sealing scroll. It can store anything within as long as it's not too big. I assume that the strange device your car turned into works on a similar concept." Bulma voices her understanding.

"They're called Hoipoi Capsules. My father invented them. He owns a huge company called Capsule Corporation." Naruto looked at her.

"So that kinda makes you a business princess." Bulma looked at him angrily, then thought it over.

"I... guess that's one way to put it." Naruto suddenly pulled out a kunai and tore into the meat. He then placed different pieces on plates and held one out.

"Breakfast Bulma-hime." Bulma looked at him weirdly.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Hime means princess. It's just an honorific." Bulma nodded as she took the plate from him. After eating, Bulma pulled out the capsule that held her car. She pressed on the top of it and threw it on the ground.

The car reappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto dispelled his clones as he lifted his bag. He got in the car and buckled up. Bulma put the pedal to the medal as they took off down the road. Bulma pulled out a small device and handed it to Naruto.

"What's this?" asked the blonde jinchuriki.

"It's called the Dragon Radar." informed Bulma. She then pointed to the screen. "I built it to pick up the signals that the dragon balls give off. The dots closest to us are the dragon balls we have. If another appears, then that means another dragon ball is nearby."

Naruto marveled at the device, before looking up.

"Hit the brakes Bulma!" Bulma did so as she avoided crashing into a huge rock in the road. She stuck her head out to get a better look at it.

"How'd that stupid rock get in the road!?" Suddenly, a head popped out of the rock. Two sets of flippers soon followed it.

"I am actually a turtle young lady." said the turtle. The turtle suddenly entered a coughing fit. "Pardon me, but I've been lost for days without water." Naruto hopped out and pulled a bottle out of his bag. He ran over to the turtle and opened the bottle.

"Drink this." ordered Naruto. The turtle was put off by Naruto's kindness, but he whole heartedly accepted the drink. Bulma watched as the turtle guzzled the water down. "So what's a sea turtle doing all the way out here?"

"I got caught up in a huge storm. The next thing I knew, I was on dry land. I must find my way back home to my master." The turtle began to scuttle away, but Naruto put a hand on the back of the turtle's shell. Bulma suddenly got an idea what the blonde was thinking.

"We're not going to deliver a turtle to the ocean. We have to get going!" argued Bulma before anything was said. Naruto smirked as he turned back to the girl.

"Fine." said Naruto. "I guess you'll have to go on your own and deal with people shooting at you or worst. You definitely don't want to run into those kind of people." The possibilities of what Naruto meant ran straight through her head. It made her shiver in fear.

"Fine. Get him on top and we'll take him back to the ocean." Naruto smiled as he put together his signature hand sign. The clones puffed into existence, then held the turtle to the roof of the car. They took off, soon reaching the ocean.

The clones lowered the turtle onto the beach. The reptile turned back to them.

"Thank you so much for helping me... Uh... I don't think I quite caught your names." sheepishly admitted the turtle. Naruto pointed to himself with his thumb.

"I'm Son Naruto. " said Naruto before he pointed back to Bulma. "That's Bulma." The turtle bowed his head respectfully.

"Just call me Turtle. If you'd please stay, my master would love to meet you. I promise I won't be long." With that, Turtle swam off into the ocean. Hours went by, but Turtle still hadn't returned.

Bulma groaned as she started the car. She at least wanted to be ready to go, but there was no way she was heading off without Naruto. His warnings of bad occurrences and bad people scared the heck out of her. She was a little started to look up and see Naruto walking on water, but she stopped letting things like that surprise her back at the hut. Naruto suddenly hopped back to the beach as he felt Turtle's presence returned.

Turtle had indeed returned, and an old man was standing on his back. He was bald, with a thick white fu manchu mustache and beard. He was wearing some sunglasses, beach clothes, and some sandals. The most peculiar thing he wore was a turtle shell on his back. The old man walked off Turtle's back.

"Alright." said the old man. "Which one of you do I have to thank for helping my turtle?"

"They both helped to an extent Master Roshi." answered Turtle. "Naruto was the one to reach out, and miss Bulma over there drove me here." Bulma groaned at being called 'miss.' The man turned to the two of them and brushed his beard.

"Well then, let me see what I can do. Hm... Oh! I think I've got it. FLYING NIMBUS!"

A golden cloud came down from the sky and floated nearby. Naruto marveled at it as he got closer.

"A flying cloud! Like in Journey to the West!" Naruto suddenly snickered of something, or someone, that also reminded him of that old fable.

"Well the nimbus is basically the most real part from that legend. This here cloud will only let the pure of heart ride it. Allow me to demonstrate." The old man tried to hop on the cloud, but he suddenly fell straight through. He rubbed his beard as he waved his hand through the cloud.

"You aren't exactly as pure as you once were Master." said Turtle. Master Roshi gave the turtle an angry look. He turned back to see Naruto lay down on it like it was a recliner. Bulma decided to try, but she fell through as well, though not as fast as Master Roshi did. Master Roshi suddenly got some strange vibes from the boy, but he shrugged it off as he looked to Bulma.

"Looks like we'll have to find something else for you young lady." The old man began to think, when Bulma noticed the thing around his neck. It was the two star dragon ball. She was about to cry out loud, but she decided to play it cool.

"How about that pretty orb around your neck?" asked Bulma. Naruto looked to Bulma, then to the old hermit. He so wanted to tell the old man why it was so important, but he felt Kurama tug at his mind.

 ** _"I'd let it go Kit."_** said Kurama in Naruto's mindscape. _**"I have a feeling there's a reason the old man isn't pure anymore."**_ Naruto had no idea why the biju was saying that, but he knew not to doubt his friend. Master Roshi looked down at the orb around his neck. He took off the necklace and held it in the air.

"You sure you want this thing?" asked the old man. "There's probably something better I can give you."

"I'm sure." answered Bulma. "I really want the pretty orb." Master Roshi shrugged and handed it to her. She put it away in her bag, then looked back at him. "Thank you."

"You saved my turtle. It's literally the least I can do for you. Now if you'll excuse me, my show will be on soon." With that, Master Roshi got back on turtle and took off back into the sea. They waved the two off, then Bulma pumped her fist in celebration.

"That's three down, and four to go! Remind me later and we'll add it to the scroll." Naruto just shrugged and stood up on the cloud.

"Let's just get back on the road and find the rest of the dragon balls." said Naruto as he got in a surfing position. Bulma quickly got back in her car, revving the engine. They both took off in the distance.

 _Kame House, Unknown Island._

Master Roshi had just returned to the island. He walked off Turtles back and began to walk over to his house. He suddenly stopped as he felt an unknown presence. He slowly approached the house, taking note that he could hear the TV going. He slowly opened the door, to see a familiar white haired being.

"Oh don't mind me." said the young man. "The door was open, so I let myself in. My name is Fu, and I was hoping to talk with you Muten Roshi." Master Roshi sensed no evil from the man, though he was still cautious. He sat in the chair next to him.

"What do you want?" asked the old master. Fu sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"Look. I'm not trying to be your enemy here. I'm just trying to keep things in order. I'm here to offer you a chance to experience a new place, and keep all the comforts of your private home. What do you say?"

"I'm not moving." Fu held his hands up.

"Of course not. It will be more than just you. Plus... Uh..." He leaned in and whispered in something to Master Roshi.

The old man's face turned red at the words spoken to him.

"I think that might be enough. When will I need to be ready?" Fu stood up and walked towards the door.

"You already are, but I need to take care of one more thing. I'll come back to get you once everything is ready. I hope to see you soon." With that, Fu disappeared in a breeze. Master Roshi turned to the TV, many thoughts crossing his mind.

 **So, Goku is replacing Shino on Team 8 and vice versa. Not much changed for Naruto's side, but that won't always be the case. It took a while to rewrite the whole team meeting half and the test, but I think I did pretty good. Also, more Goku X Hinata for all the shippers. Stay tuned for more changes.**

 **Did you like the changes made? What do you think of Goku's team placement? Did you like the pairing moments? Let me know in a review down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	9. Mission to Wave, A not so Oolong Battle

**Here we are again. More huge changes are on the horizon, making for an interesting chapter. I might even have to rewrite the whole thing. We'll see by the end how much the chapter has changed. Anywho, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto.**

 _Time Branch 147, Road to Aru Village_

Naruto laid back as the nimbus carried him along. He loved being able to travel without all the walking. He wouldn't do it forever, of course, because that would be lazy and he'd lose progress in his training. He looked down as he lounged, to see Bulma's car suddenly stop. He redirected the cloud to fly down and check on her.

"Everything alright?" asked Naruto as he hopped off his cloud. Bulma hopped out of the car, anger clearly written on her face. She growled as she kicked the tire.

"Stupid thing ran out of gas!" shouted Bulma. Naruto gave her a deadpanned look as his friend continued to kick at the tire. He groaned as he grabbed her shoulder, causing her to stop and breath.

"Just calm down and put it away. We're almost at a town anyway, and they might have some gas for it." Bulma groaned in response, but she knew that he was right. They walked on as they approached the town. Suddenly, one of Naruto's shadow clones jumped in front of them.

Bulma shouted in shock. She growled as she whacked the blonde up the side of the head. "Ow! What gives Bulma-hime!?"

"Could you warn a girl next time?!" The clone just shrugged as it handed a scroll to Naruto. The original nodded, then the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto let the memories flow, then unrolled the scroll. He sighed as he closed the scroll.

'Great.' thought Naruto. 'It's as I thought. We aren't the only ones looking for the Dragon Balls. We need to find the rest of them before this group finds us.' Naruto quickened his pace as he saw Bulma walk into the village.

"This place looks like a ghost town. HELLO!" Naruto lifted his hand and hushed Bulma.

"Are you crazy!? This could be a ninja village and you just told them we're here!" The blunette chuckled in embarrassment as they moved on. Bulma was about to enter a house, when Naruto stopped her. He walked forward, and slowly entered the house.

Bulma screamed as an axe struck him.

"NARUTO!"

The man who was hiding suddenly took a few steps back as Bulma rushed to check on the blonde. She touched the wound, but something felt off. The boy puffed in smoke, revealing a log where he once lay. The man suddenly gasped, as he was thrust against the wall. Naruto held a kunai to his throat.

"What's the big idea!?" shouted Naruto. "Do you get your joy out of attacking people or something!?" The man gave him a scared and sad look.

"I'M SORRY!" shouted the man. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME OOLONG!" Naruto gave the man a confused look, then hopped back away from him.

"Who the heck is Oolong?" The man gave Naruto a bewildered look.

"YOU... aren't Oolong the Terrible?" Naruto crossed his arms at the man's words.

"If I were someone with that title, you'd already be dead." The man thought over Naruto's words, then put his axe on a nearby table.

"I'm so sorry young man. I just wanted to make sure my family would be safe." Naruto smiled at the protective man. Bulma suddenly sounded her concern when the whole village came over to them. She was about to try and explain the situation, when a rumble caught their attention.

Naruto gave them a sheepish grin as he rubbed his stomach.

"I guess I haven't had anything to eat in a while." A few of the villagers chuckled at the blonde. The village treated their guests to a nice meal as they all sat at a table. Naruto was happy that they had ramen, but it wasn't the same as good ol' Ichiraku's. Bulma listened in as they told her about this supposed Oolong the Terrible.

A shapeshifter who kidnaps little girls sure sounded like trouble. This guy sounded like one of the kinds of people Naruto warned her about. She didn't dare imagine what the man could be doing to them, so she decided to change the subject to something she found more important.

"So does anyone know where we can find some orange orbs?" asked Bulma. She pulled out the dragon ball they got from Muten Roshi. "They'll look like this one, but with different numbered stars." An old lady suddenly walked over to her. In her hands was the three star dragon ball.

"I have one." said the lady. "It's been in my family for generations. I'm afraid that I can't just let you have it." Bulma sighed. She didn't want to resort to stealing, but what else could she do?

A thought suddenly popped in her mind. Why didn't she think of this before? Probably cause Naruto helped her out with a genjutsu. He snickered as he returned to his ramen. One of the villagers looked to the boy, but then dismissed it as a funny thought.

"How about a deal then?" proposed Bulma. "We get rid of Oolong and save the girls, then you give us the dragon ball." The village was shocked to hear this. She thinks they can get rid of Oolong the Terrible? They didn't think much of it, but then the man from earlier stood up and pointed at Naruto.

This was not genjutsu instigated. A few raised brows were directed the man's way as he cleared his throat.

"I believe the boy can do it." said the man. Now they were all giving him confused looks. "The trick he used was legit. Only a real shinobi can do that technique. If anyone can take down Oolong, it's him."

Naruto was surprised by the man's belief, but Uncle Fu told him that he gave off that effect. The villagers looked to each other, then nodded.

"We'll see if you can even get him out." said the lady with the dragon ball. Bulma smiled as she stood up.

"I've got a plan for that." replied Bulma. Naruto visibly gulped. Bulma was either about to put herself in danger...

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT NOW!?" Or incredibly stupid, like asking him to dress like a girl to draw Oolong out.

"Don't you have some kind of ninja technique that makes you look like a girl?" Naruto's cheeks went red as he stomped his foot.

"Why would I ever want to do that!? The most I've ever done is make myself look like a guy on tv in town to mock him. I wouldn't dare try to look like a girl! Do you know the bad that can come from a jutsu like that!?"

Bulma groaned at the notion, then her face went red in realization. She cleared her throat to try and break up the silence.

"Fair enough. I guess we'll have to find something else to do." Bulma went deep into thought. She looked over to the side to see a little girl playing on her own. The poor girl looked so lonely as a few kids ran straight past her.

Suddenly, she noticed a shadow approach the girl. She watched as the owner walked out from the bushes. She sighed in relief as the figure turned out to be a young boy. She watched as the boy began to play with the girl, making her laugh at his antics. She looked to Naruto with a smile on her face, only for it to disappear when Naruto prepared a kunai.

"Would you like to come with me to my palace?" asked the boy. The girl looked down, a blush across her face. "You wouldn't be alone anymore Kiana. What do you say?" The girl was about to give her answer, when a kunai landed between them.

"You can't hide from a shinobi shapeshifter." said Naruto as he stood before the two. "So you're Oolong the Terrible? In all honesty, I'm not impressed you dirty pig." The girl, named Kiana, suddenly ran off at the mention of the shapeshifter's name. Oolong growled as he transformed into a large shadowy figure.

"That girl was to be the newest of my wives!" shouted Oolong. He then transformed into a bull and ran at Naruto. "I'll show you just what happens when you mess with a bull!" He caught Naruto on his horn, but the boy disappeared in a puff of smoke. He looked around, until a rock hit his head.

He looked up to see two Narutos teasing him. He transformed into a pterodactyl and flew at them. They suddenly hopped into the air and shot ki blasts at him. He screeched in pain as one of the spheres collided with him. He transformed into a bear and ran at them as they landed.

"I'll kill you and your freakish twin!" He suddenly found himself on the ground as two more shadow clones hopped on him. He looked around to see the clones multiply.

"Which one are you talking about?" asked Naruto and his shadow clones in unison. Oolong freaked out as they inched closer. He suddenly transformed into a rocket to try and escape. The clones leapt into the air as they toppled him over. He screamed as all the clones sat on top of him.

It was too much to bare, and he suddenly puffed into smoke. The villagers gathered around to witness the true form of Oolong the Terrible. They were surprised to see, ironically, a pig wearing a military uniform was the one causing them so much trouble. The adults growled at him as two Naruto clones held him up by the arms. He chuckled as they got closer.

After a good scolding, Oolong was forced to lead them to his castle. When they arrived, however, they found that all the girls he took were well cared for. Parents reunited with their missing children, and Naruto crosses his arms in satisfaction. Oolong tried to escape, but he soon found himself in another Naruto pile. The original turned around to face the pig, his smile gone but his arms still in the same position.

"There are three things that shinobi would be required to do to punish you for your crime." informed Naruto. Oolong gave him the stink eye, annoyed by the shinobi brat.

"I didn't hurt any of them!" shouted Oolong in defense as he flailed his arms. Naruto knelt down to eye level and stared him down. He pulled out a kunai and pointed it at the porker.

"You still kidnapped the girls, which is definitely illegal. As I was saying, the first thing to do would be to turn you over to the proper authorities, but the townsfolks say they wouldn't be able to hold you and we're too far away from any large town. Option 2 is... well." Naruto dragged the side of his kunai across his neck, causing Oolong to wiggle in panic. "Option number three, which I am sure will be your absolute favorite, is that you do community service, and we're on a quest that will definitely count as community service."

"Option 3! I'm too young to be roast ham!" Naruto smiled at the talking pig. Bulma didn't share his opinion on the matter. She had just put the dragon ball away when Naruto told her what happened.

"You did what!?" shouted Bulma as she turned to the blonde jinchuriki. Naruto shrugged, not seeing any need for concern.

"I offered Oolong community service work to pay for his crimes." answered Naruto. "I know he gave his castle to the village, but he still has to pay." He then motioned to Bulma's car. "Besides, don't tell me you aren't pleased by his work ethic." Bulma looked over to the car to see Oolong packing her stuff in it at tremendous speed.

She smirked as she glanced at the shinobi.

"I guess you have a point." Bulma and Naruto walked over to the car. Oolong had just packed the last bag into the car as he noticed them approach. He shut the trunk and opened the door for Bulma. She chuckled as the pig curtsied.

"Right this way madam." said Oolong as Bulma sat in the drivers seat. Naruto began to stretch as Oolong shut the door. "You coming boss?" Naruto felt a shockwave flow through him at the mention of that title. He shook it off as he looked at the pig.

"I travel better when I run." answered Naruto. The pig looked at him in confusion, but let it go as he got over to the passenger seat. Bulma took off as Naruto followed. They left the place behind them as they took off for the next dragon ball. Little did they know that a plane soared overhead in the same direction.

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

Goku was feeling his blood pump as he prepared for his first day of missions. He sat down at Ichiraku's as he waited for his two teammates. He was so excited he almost choked on a noodle in his fifth bowl. He decided to cut his meal short and stood up. He turned to see Kiba was already standing in wait with Akamaru panting beside him.

"First mission jitters pal?" asked Kiba. Goku nodded as he knelt down to pet Akamaru.

"I'm just so excited to finally start our first ever mission." said Goku as the ninken wagged his tail. "I'm about ready to just run on over and get a little more training in before we start." Kiba smirked as he flexed his arm.

"I'm as pumped as you, but we have to wait for Hinata. It was your idea for us to meet here after all." Goku sheepishly grinned and rubbed the back of his head. Hinata suddenly hopped down behind them, a blush rushing across her face.

She still wasn't used to seeing Goku wait for her, and it made her giddy. It only got worst when Goku put his arm around her.

"Hey there Hinata! You ready for our first mission?" Hinata exited her stupor and nodded to them.

"I h...hope we get a good one." stuttered Hinata. "M...maybe something like delivering a...an important medical scroll to a hospital." Kiba and Goku nodded as the group made their way to the training ground. "W...what do you guys think?"

"I honestly don't care as long as it's a good one." answered Kiba. Hinata nodded at her teammate, understanding his excitement. The right mission could speak volumes for one's skills.

"As long as we're a team I don't care either." agreed Goku as he lifted his arm from the heiress. Hinata smiled at how the team seemed to get along. She began to look between the two boys, her blush starting to fade. She was starting to get used to talking with them. She still had to try hard to keep from fainting when Goku was close to her mind you, but she was making an improvement.

She was brought out of her musings as they approached the training grounds. Goku smirked as he began to stretch. He soon began to do various training exercises as they awaited their sensei. Kiba tried to keep up with him for a bit, but Goku just kept going beyond what the Inuzuka could. Hinata smirked as Kiba caught his breath.

She walked over, ready to talk. She stopped as she felt a familiar presence.

"Keeping up with training is good, but it's time to start our first mission of the day." scolded a voice from the trees. The team looked up to see Kurenai Sensei standing on a nearby branch smiling at her team. She hopped down to the ground, the others running to meet her. "I hope your ready for your very first mission." The team gave her a strong nod in response.

"Let's get to the action!" said Goku with a smile on his face and his fist in his hand. Kurenai chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. That enthusiasm vanished as they got started on their first mission. Pulling weeds out of the back yard of one of the villagers. At least, that's how it looked at first.

She stood before his team, having explained their mission. Hinata was a little disappointed, Kiba was annoyed, and Goku hung his head. She wasn't surprised to see Goku in that state. He was probably hoping for some top tier mission. The boy's head suddenly lifted, revealing a determined face.

"No matter how big or how small, I'll do my best to finish my mission!" shouted Goku as he started pulling weeds. The whole team, including Kurenai, looked at Goku with surprise. Goku looked back to his team. "You're not gonna make me do this by myself are you? Get in here and help."

Kiba saw the look on Goku's face, and smirked. He quickly joined in, with Hinata slowly following behind. Kurenai watched as the team worked together, mostly Hinata telling Goku when he was about to pull out something other than a weed. They soon had the yard looking like a landscaper came through the area. The client walked out of the house to gaze upon the yard.

"I can't believe how well you did!" shouted the client in glee. "You made my yard look good as new! You guys went above and beyond." The genin looked towards each other, proud of their good work. "The pay for the job was well worth it."

Kurenai smirked at her team. They not only completed the job, but they looked eager for more. The team soon found themselves going through multiple types of jobs, each one more difficult or more bizarre then the last. They soon found themselves on their toughest D-rank mission yet. They had to catch a run away cat named Tora.

Sure it sounds easy, but the cat really didn't want to be caught. It was very crafty in it's escape tactics, evading them at every corner. Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata had finally chased Tora into a corner. They slowly approached as it arched its back. They were about to pounce, when Goku stopped them.

"That's no way to treat a cat!" shouted Goku as he reached into his pocket. He slowly crept towards the cat. He pulled a fish, waving it in front of Tora. "Here kitty kitty. Remember me girl?"

The cat suddenly looked happy and hopped over to the saiyan. His teammates watched as Goku petted the feline's head as it chowed on the fish. Akamaru growled at the, in his mind, traitorous saiyan. Hinata wanted to pet the cat, but that might make it angry.

"How the heck did you get him to come to you so easily?" asked Kiba. "My cousin said Tora usually doesn't care who you are." Goku looked up from the cat and to his teammates.

"Her, Kiba, and she comes by my place sometimes when she gets out. I won't lie when I say that I help Tora out at times. I'm honestly curious as to why she runs away so much. Tora doesn't leave the village, so why even put out a mission for those?" His teammates looked at him in confusion, but understood where the saiyan was coming from.

They returned to the client's home, Goku comforting the cat the whole time.

"What do you mean it's because something I'm doing!?" asked the elderly woman who put out the request. Truth be told this was the most frequent request in the village. Goku petted the cat as he looked to the woman.

"The only way I see this being a problem is if you're not treating her right. Did you used to own a dog?" The woman looked at him with a confused, but still angry, face.

"I actually did." Goku snapped his fingers as he pointed to the woman.

"That's the first thing. Cat's aren't exactly friendly with dogs, especially with the ninken of the village. If you can find a way to remove the scent, she'll be more apt to stay. The second thing is to let her roam around the village. You can't just keep her inside most of the time like a dog because she has the air of a wild cat."

"Well what does that have to do with anything?"

"Cat's that have been tamed have to have their freedom to move around the village. Did you ever notice that although Tora supposedly goes missing every now and then, she never truly left village grounds? As long as she gets food from here, she'll come back." The woman looked down for a bit, then slowly reached for the cat. Tora was reluctant at first, but then she let her master rub her head.

"I will try it your way young man. I thank you and your team for bringing my Tora home." The team nodded as the elderly lady entered the building with the cat. Kurenai could honestly say that her team's first day was extraordinary, but she didn't want to give them big heads. She cleared her throat as the team gathered round.

"That concludes our missions for the day." informed Kurenai. "I'll have to report to the Hokage, so you're free to go. Tomorrow starts another day of training and missions." The team nodded as Kurenai sped off. This same trend of missions went on for days.

Though they did excellent on most missions, Kurenai could see that her team was yearning for something more. She once caught Goku shadowboxing during a delivery mission, and the boy almost put a hole in the wall the shadow stood. The team seemed to be working together fairly well, having a large success rate and not many complaints. Kurenai nodded to herself. Her team was ready for the next step.

The next day, the team followed her to the Hokage's office. Goku was telling one of his training stories as they passed by another team. Kiba was listening intently, surprised by the training his friend does on his own. Deadlifting large boulders was definitely beyond what Rock Lee does as far as the Inuzuka was concerned. The story ended as Kurenai knocked on the door to the Hokage's office.

"Enter." said Hiruzen. The team entered, to see a few Hiruzen clones working around the office while the original was working on a small stack of paperwork. Along with him was another group. Goku smirked as he saw Team 7 standing before them. He walked forward and gave Sasuke a high five.

"Nice to see you bro." said Goku. Sasuke smirked as they bumped shoulders.

"Nice to see you're still in good spirits." responded Sasuke. Hinata walked over to Sakura, the two exchanging a friendly hug.

"How's missions been Hinata?" asked Sakura. "You get the same boring missions as us?" Hinata shook her head in response.

"They seemed to be that way at the beginning, but G...Goku-kun found different ways to make them more interesting." Sakura gave off a devious smile as she put her arm around her friend.

"So, are you two an item yet?" Hinata turned red as a tomato as she hopped back.

"S...SAKURA!" Kiba and Shino exchanged glances.

"Hey." greeted Kiba with a smile. Shino nodded in response. "Do you ever talk?"

"When I want too." answered Shino. Hiruzen cleared his throat, catching both teams' attention.

"It's good to see you again Team 8. Which missions will you be taking today?" Kurenai smiled as she approached the desk.

"I request a C-rank mission for my team." answered Kurenai. The Genin had huge grins on their faces, though Akamaru could only wag his tail in excitement. Hiruzen gave her a serious look.

"Are you sure they're ready Kurenai?" The Jonin nodded in response.

"They've proven that they can take any job seriously. They're as ready as they'll ever be." Goku silently celebrated with a fist pump. One of the clones looked over the missions. He shook his head as the original sighed.

"I'm afraid I don't have any C-rank missions available right now." The Genin groaned in disappointment. Kakashi walked to Kurenai's side.

"I would actually like to request Team 8's aid in the C-rank mission you just assigned to us." Hiruzen gave Kakashi the same serious look he gave to Kurenai. "Their success rate in missions is on par with ours, and the Toyotomi boy did solve the dreaded Tora mission." Sasuke sighed at this information. His traitor of a brother told him that mission was the worst of the D-rank missions.

"That seems like a lot of ninja for a C-rank mission. Any reason you believe this is necessary Kakashi-san?" Kakashi looked around the room.

"I would like to talk after the client and the Genin leave." Hiruzen nodded in response.

"Very well. As I already explained, a bridge builder has requested an escort back to his home in Wave Country, and protection until the bridge he's building there is complete. This could be a chance to strengthen trade with our neighbor, so I entrust this mission to both teams." He motioned to his right, and an ANBU brought in the client in question. "This is Tazuna, the client."

The elderly man looked over to the team. He wasn't at all impressed.

"Is this some kind of joke?" asked the client. "I asked for an escort and you give me a troop of children and their babysitters!?" Goku didn't take kindly to those words, but he was going to show this guy what he was made of so he let it slide. The man looked at the Hokage for answers. Hiruzen cleared his throat.

"Both teams have a high success rate and are fully capable of protecting you. Anyway, you'll all need to be ready to leave by the hour. Pack only what you deem necessary and make your way to the village gate." The teams nodded, then made their way home for preparations. Hiruzen then watched as Tazuna was escorted back to his apartment.

"I believe there's more to this mission then meets the eye lord Hokage." said Kakashi once the room was secure. "Wave country has been sending less and less missions our way, then all the sudden a mission this important to trade arrives as a C-rank." Hiruzen and Kurenai nodded in understanding.

"A mission of this caliber would normally reach B-rank due to foreign relations being involved, and Tazuna held so much fear when he saw the Genin." agreed Kurenai. "A mission this mysterious requires extra security for any team." Hiruzen looked between the two Jonin, his gaze not wavering.

"You will both carry out this mission, but keep an eye out for any suspicious movement or behavior." Both sensei's nodded before heading out. Back at his apartment, Goku made sure to pack everything he needed from some extra weapons to the ingredients for his dumplings. He was the first one at the gate, awaiting the others' arrival for their first C-rank mission. He made sure that everything was set.

Soon, the bridge builder arrived, surprised by the saiyan's enthusiasm. They were later joined by Sasuke and Sakura, then the rest of Goku's team after. There was a wave of boredom as they waited for Kakashi.

Goku smirked as he got an idea. He pulled out a bag that held his ingredients.

"I guess Kakashi-san doesn't want to try some of these dumplings for lunch later." said Goku. Sasuke had to resist the urge to steal the bag from Goku's hand. Goku suddenly lowered the bag as Kakashi zoomed past him. "Me 4, you 0." Kakashi groaned as the monkey boy put the ingredients back in his bag.

'One day Toyotomi.' thought Kakashi as he looked at the bag. 'One day I will know the secret of those dumplings.' He cleared his throat as the teams stood ready. "Good to see you guys here early. You ready to head out?"

All parties concerned nodded in response. They then went on their way, Tazuna looking unsure of the situation. Goku found it weird, but he payed no mind to it as he concentrated on the path ahead of him. He suddenly felt a tiny energy spike from Sakura, who motioned her eyes forward. He sensed ahead, then nodded to her.

He repeated the process to Kurenai, Kakashi, and Hinata, each giving him a nod of confirmation. Goku suddenly got an idea as he turned to the group.

"You guys wanna see me do something cool?" asked Goku. Sasuke and Kiba were about to retort, when Kakashi got in between them.

"As long as it doesn't take too long." replied the Jonin. Goku smirked and aimed his hand at one of the puddles ahead. He charged up his ki, then shot a blast at the puddle. Suddenly, a man with a strange headpiece hopped out of the puddle in pain. Goku pulled out a kunai and blocked a blade that was thrown at him.

Another man in the same kind of headpiece hopped out of the other puddle. Sakura and Hinata stood at attention by Tazuna, readying for defense. Sasuke threw some paper bombs at the man, causing him to run into a flying kick from Goku. Sakura swung her kunai to block another incoming blade. Hinata grabbed the chain attached to the blade and yanked.

The man on the other side was surprised by her strength. She pulled him closer, putting him in Kakashi's line of sight. He threw a kunai at the attacker, striking him in the chest. The man fell to the ground, void of life. The other tried to escape, but he was tied with his own chain by two Goku clones.

Goku dragged the man over to the group as they caught their bearings. The cyclops Jonin turned to team 7 with a lazy eye smile.

"Good work team." congratulated Kakashi. "Sakura picked up on the enemies' position, Sasuke reacted the correct way despite being caught off guard, and Shino let out some insects incase escape was our only option." Kurenai nodded as she looked to her team.

"The same to you guys." commented Kurenai. "Goku caught on to the plan as well, sending a surprise attack at the enemy. Hinata, you took your place beside Sakura to defend the bridge builder. The only question is, where were you Kiba?" The Inuzuka chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Honestly, I was caught off guard the whole time." admitted Kiba. "Akamaru was too busy trying to get me to focus so he couldn't help." Kurenai sighed as she shook her head.

"Try to be more alert Kiba. You could've cost us the bridge builder's life or worst, you and Akamaru." Kiba frowned as he knelt down to his ninken partner. Both Jonin looked back at Tazuna, visibly unamused. "Mind explaining why you labeled this mission as C-rank?

"With the attempt on your life and the fact that these are two Chunin ranked missing-nin, this should be a B-rank mission." added Kakashi. The bridge builder sighed in defeat.

"We don't have enough money to afford a B-rank mission." admitted Tazuna. The Jonin waited as Tazuna tried to find his words. "The land of Wave is very poor due to a strong strangle hold by a man named Gato."

"From Gato Industries. His import and shipping business is the only real way to trade with Wave Country. That man is one of the wealthiest people in the Elemental Nations. Why would he want you dead?"

"Because his shipping company is a cover for selling illegal drugs and contraband. With my bridge, trade with other nations will become stabilized and Gato won't have as strong a hold." Tazuna began to walk ahead of them. "I understand if you're upset with me, but please don't let my family and my people suffer any more. Right now, you're our only hope."

Both Jonin looked to their teams. Sakura nodded to the others, letting them know her opinion. Goku looked over to Sasuke, who was already staring back at him. The Uchiha nodded in response. The rest of Team 8 stood on each side of Goku.

Both teams looked to their respective sensei with determination in their eyes.

"We started this mission, and we're gonna finish it." proclaimed Goku. Kakashi smirked at his team, then turned to the bridge builder. Kurenai couldn't feel more proud as she also returned her attention to the task at hand.

"You heard them." said Kakashi. "You have our support." Tazuna tried to hold back tears, but failed as he respectfully bowed to them.

"Thank you all... so much!" shouted Tazuna. He wiped his tears as he moved on ahead. Kakashi turned to the remaining attacker, to see a Goku cone preparing to carry him on his back.

"What do you think you're doing young man?" The clone turned to Kakashi.

"I'm delivering him to Konohagakure for interrogation." answered Goku. "Who knows what else this Gato guy has planned, and we could probably get some juicy secrets from him. Plus, returning this missing nin to his village so he can pay for his crimes might establish good relations. I'm also gonna send word to Hokage-sama about our predicament." Kakashi blinked for a bit, before rubbing the back of his head.

"That's... actually a good plan. I don't know why I didn't think of it. Good job kid." Kurenai smirked as she punched the man's arm.

"What do you expect? He's one of my Genin." Kakashi rolled his visible eye. The Goku clone smiled as he took off. As the boy flew away, the group got back on the road.

Little did they know, however, that they were being watched. A strange ninja in a mask watched as they continued down the path. This was definitely going to be an interesting mission. He sent out a rabbit with a message tied to it, then stared down the path. He began to follow them as they continued on their journey.

 **I know it feels kinda lazy to just make the mission to wave a joint venture, but I couldn't really leave Goku out of that action** **. Also, Sakura shipping Goku and Hinata was a good idea on my part. That little detail is going to be fun in the future. Also, Kiba makes a big mistake that could've cost him his life, as well as Akamaru's. He's gonna need some help if he wants to get better.**

 **Anywho, what do you think of the changes so far? Are you excited to see where this is all going? When will Goku and Hinata get together? Remember to leave a review down below, and I'll try to respond as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	10. Chapter 9: Of Demons and Bandits

**Back again! Funny enough, this is the chapter where I announced Sakura as the winner of the poll. It's kinda hilarious since Hinata's the girl paired with Goku in the rewrite. The girl in second place is now the one getting the guy. How ironic can this rewrite get?**

 **Anywho, on with the chapter! I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto.**

 _Time Branch 147, Random Desert_

It's been a few days since the guys hit the road. Oolong was playing nicely at the moment. He had every motivation to leave soon, however. Why? Because Bulma's car broke down in the middle of the desert and she lost all her capsules somehow.

He would've made a break for it right then and there, if Naruto wasn't hanging back with them for security reasons. Plus the fact that the young ninja could track him anywhere and roast his ham didn't help. Naruto sighed as he looked back at them, memories from his shadow clones entering his mind.

"Shadow clone 3 found no trace of it at the village." said Naruto. Bulma groaned in anger. Oh how she wished they could all fit on the cloud, or only two so they could ditch the pig.

"They must've been stolen or something." cried Bulma. "That's the only explanation." Naruto shook his head, not believing his traveling companion.

"You think someone could steal something from this group in the middle of the day with me around? That person would either have to be quite the thief or one darn good shinobi." Bulma gulped at the prospect of another ninja being after them. She suddenly thought of a ninja with long black hair and a handsome face. It was then that she no longer wanted strawberries.

Bulma suddenly got another idea, turning to the pig beside her.

"Oh Oolong?" asked Bulma. Oolong knew the woman was up to something, but was too tired to ignore her.

"What?" asked the grumpy pig with a scowl. "I'm busy suffering here."

"Could you turn into a car and carry us through the desert?" Oolong groaned at her in response.

"I don't change mass so I wouldn't be able to carry you anywhere." Bulma frowned and looked forward. Later in the day, the group could still be seen trekking the path. Bulma panted, then fell to her knees. "BOSS! GET OVER HERE QUICK!"

Naruto ran over to check on the Capsule Corp. heiress. She had passed out from exhaustion, and needed to cool down fast. He looked around, then a memory from one of his clones came to him. He made a clone to grab Oolong, then scooped Bulma up in his arms. They soon arrived at a small rock formation, but it was big enough to provide cover.

"This should be a good place for her to rest." said Naruto as he placed Bulma on the ground. He propped her head as to make sure she was comfortable. The clone set Oolong down, then ran out into the distance.

"Where's he going?" Naruto turned his attention to the priso… I mean community service worker.

"He went to do a perimeter check and keep an eye out for Bulma's bag. Now help me get a fire started so I can cook some grub." Oolong groaned in protest, but quickly got to work. They soon got the sticks together, when Naruto smiled. "Could you go get Bulma's capsule bag from around back?"

Oolong looked to the jinchuriki in shock.

"When did..." Naruto waved his finger in the air.

"The clone found the bag hanging on a dead tree. He was about to come in when he stepped on a cactus. It was very prickly." Oolong gave the blonde a confused look.

"Then why aren't you..." Oolong got his answer when Naruto screamed into a pillow. Not wanting to ask anymore questions, the pig did what was asked. Naruto rubbed his foot as he awaited Oolong's return. "HELP ME BOSS!"

Oolong suddenly came running in as a hammer came flying behind him. The hammer continued to pound the ground behind him, almost hitting Bulma's capsule bag a few times. Naruto focused his chakra, trying to see if it was a genjutsu, but it was all real. He noticed Bulma starting to stir, then pulled out a kunai. He threw it at the hammer, which squealed as it flew the other direction.

It suddenly transformed into a flying blue cat. Naruto blinked a few times, but once again he wasn't seeing things.

"YAMCHA!" cried the feline. A sword suddenly knocked the weapon away. A man in a green shirt and orange pants stood before her. He had a scabbard on his back, and a scar on his face. His long black hair flowed with the wind.

He looked down at the kunai, then turned his attention to Naruto.

"Big mistake kid." said Yamcha. "I don't know who you think you are, but no one attacks my friend. I might spare you if you stand aside and let me end that miserable pork chop's life." Naruto slowly turned his head to Oolong. He grabbed the pig's ear and pulled.

"What did you do this time!?" shouted Naruto. Oolong waved his hands in the air.

"I did nothing!" cried the pig in defense. "I just went around back to grab the bag, when shrill voice over there transformed into a hammer and tried to squash me." The cat popped out from behind Yamcha with a frown on his face.

"You were the one that bullied me back in shape shifters' school!" shouted the cat. Oolong growled at the fellow shapeshifter.

"Can it Puar! You're not gonna let them turn me into bacon, are ya Boss? You ain't gonna let the fry my bacon, are ya?" Naruto rubbed his temples as he turned to Yamcha.

"Sorry pal, but the pig still has community service to pay up for." denied Naruto. "Maybe we can settle our problems without things getting messy." Yamcha chuckled as he took a step forward, definitely not giving off friendly intent.

"Well I warned ya kid." said Yamcha as he readied his blade. "Prepare to face the might of the Desert Bandit!" He then charged at Naruto. The blonde pulled out a kunai and parried the sword. He sweeped Yamcha's feet out from under him, causing him to fall right into an uppercut.

Yamcha held his cheek as he took a few steps back. He growled as he slashed from a different angle. It hit its mark. One thing that caught his eye, however, was that Oolong was still smiling. Naruto suddenly disappeared into a puff of smoke, a log with a tongue painted on it in his place.

He turned to see three of the boy standing at the mouth of the cave. Each one had the Power Pole drawn. "So you're a shinobi. Let me make one thing clear. This is my turf, so I suggest you leave the pig with me and go home."

One of the Narutos twirled his poll around, then they all entered the same stance.

"I ain't no thief! I'm Son Naruto Uzumaki! I'll show you how a real ninja works!" Yamcha thought over that name for a bit, then it hit him. He was suddenly hit by one of the poles soon after, funny enough.

He went on the defensive as the boys continued to assault him. He blocked two of the poles, but the third one was used to lift a clone behind him. He knocked them away and slashed the clone, making him poof from existence. He huffed and puffed as the two remaining Narutos surrounded him.

"I expected no less from a descendent of the mighty Son Gohan." Naruto smirked. He knew his grandfather's reputation as a famed martial artist. "To think I'd get to try my special move on such a skilled opponent." Now Naruto's curiosity was peaked.

"Then come on pal." The one behind Yamcha put away his Power Pole and held his hand back. "Come at me with all you've got." Yamcha smirked. He rushed at Naruto, signaling the type of attack he was about to endure. He prepared to counter, as Yamcha began his combination.

"WOLF FANG FIST!" Naruto took the full force, being surprised by the speed of the combination. He puffed out of existence, leaving the one at the entrance with a small but significant fraction of the pain. "Any last words Son Naruto?" The boy looked at him with a smirk.

Yamcha felt a shift in the breeze. He took a quick look back, and saw two more clones. One held his sword and the other came at him with his hands together.

"THOUSAND YEARS OF PAIN!" Yamcha screamed as the attack hit him smack dab in the rear. He nearly hit his head against the roof of the shelter. He was about to return the pain, when he heard a yawn. Bulma stood up, then turned to them with an angry face.

"WHO THE HECK IS MAKING ALL THAT RACKET!?" shouted Bulma. She then turned and saw Yamcha. He almost looked like the ninja she imagined. She smirked as she walked closer. Suddenly, Yamcha shrieked in fear.

He turned and ran away. Right into the Power Pole.

"Yamcha!" shouted Puar as the man went unconscious. He suddenly regained consciousness at the sound of slurping. He looked to the origin of the sound, and saw Naruto downing his third bowl of ramen. He heard Puar snore as the little guy was tied up beside him. He looked forward, and screamed as he once again saw Bulma.

"He's awake." said Bulma, honestly starting to get annoyed at all the screaming no matter how good the man looked. Naruto put the bowl down, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He hopped up and walked towards the two bandits. Puar shook around, trying to free himself as he had just woken up. Naruto stopped and knelt down.

"Nice sword." voiced Naruto, but it wasn't the one in front of him. He turned his gaze to find another one looking over his sword. "You obviously take good care of it, for a bandit."

"Yeah well, you wear a lot of orange for a ninja." retorted Yamcha. Naruto suddenly became enraged as he pointed the blade at its owner.

"You could never understand the awesome that is orange! NEVER!" Yamcha sweat dropped at that sentence. "Anyway, are you sure your so famous, oh mighty Desert Bandit Yamcha?" Yamcha took offense to Naruto's tone.

"I am too famous. There are wanted posters of me." Naruto held up a piece of paper. It was indeed a wanted poster, but it was only for 50 zeni. Yamcha read over it multiple times.

"More like a not so wanted poster. You had a lot of nerve challenging a shinobi, but you have the skills to face off against a low level genin." Yamcha smirked.

"I guess you see my skill huh?" Naruto shook his head.

"A genin is basically a ninja who just graduated. A low rank one just started. I'd technically be a regular genin." Yamcha growled, but then a thought crossed his mind. That means there are guys stronger than this kid out there.

Naruto chuckled at the frightened look on Yamcha's face. "Now you have a choice to make. You can either have us drop you off at the nearest prison, where you'll rot out the rest of your years; I can knock you out and leave you here, with a way to untie yourself of course; or you can join our little merry band." Yamcha looked over to Bulma, who looked like she agreed with him. He returned his hus to Naruto, trying to hide the fear he was feeling.

"W-why would I want to join you? You threw a knife at my friend and now you tie me up." Naruto shrugged.

"One, you attacked one of us first. Two, you were a threat, so I restrained you, which is much nicer than what regular shinobi would do." Naruto slowly rubbed his thumb across his neck. Yamcha gulped at this motion while Puar increased his struggles. "Besides, you could probably overcome your little fear you just displayed."

Yamcha sounded his worry as Bulma sounded her confusion. He didn't like either option, but there was one crucial thing about that last option. His darn fear of women, and that ramen smelt really good right now. He hadn't had lunch, plus it was practically dinner time. Whether the smell was there on purpose or not is unknown.

He looked back to Puar. The cat looked freaked out. Would it really be a good idea to get back on the bad side of the people who kicked their butts? He groaned at his predicament. This was totally gonna hurt his pride, but since the descendant of Son Gohan was apparently sparing them.

"Well, I have just one request." Everyone listened in intently. Bulma thought he was gonna make some selfless request or he was gonna have a demand like some treasure. "Can I get some of that ramen? I haven't had lunch or dinner, and I'm starving."

Bulma faceplanted as Naruto laughed. He brought over a bowl as one of the shadow clones untied both the bandit and his friend. Puar was definitely shaking, but that changed when Naruto brought over a large piece of fish.

"By gones be by gones." The two dug in as they reluctantly joined the others. Oolong was prepared to try something, when Naruto pulled on his ear. "If you cause any trouble..."

"I was just gonna... uh..." started Oolong as he tried to find an excuse.

"Apologize to Puar since you were a jerk." Oolong nervously chuckled before nodding. Naruto smiled as he released his hold. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Yep. That's the plan Boss." Oolong gulped as Naruto smiled at him. He wondered how a kid could be so ruthless. He swallowed his pride as he walked over to the two newcomers.

Puar looked up from his meal, to see Oolong reluctantly walking over. "Look Squeal... I mean Puar. I'm sorta, kinda…" Oolong mumbled the last part, causing Puar to just smirk.

"I didn't hear you." said Puar. Naruto chuckled at the two shapeshifters.

"That's the best you're getting out of me tonight. I'm to tired to say I'm sorry." The porker let his words sink in. He smacked his head in defeat.

"Apology accepted." He raised an eyebrow as Puar resumed dinning. Bulma looked on as Yamcha wiped his face. She didn't know what his fear was, but she knew of a sure fire way to help him get over it. Besides, she might have just got her real wish.

A few hours into the night, a shadow began to creep towards the group. The shadow popped out from behind a rock, revealing himself to be an anthropomorphic dog in a purple ninja outfit. He soon saw the dragon balls all set out on a table. He snickered as he rolled them into a bag. He then placed a charge on the table and ran.

He soon found himself back at the plane that brought him here. A woman with long black hair stepped out of the vehicle. She had black, shoulder length hair and blue eyes. She wore red eye shadow and lipstick, a teal trench coat with a red star insignia on each shoulder, a brown belt with a pistol holster attached to it from the right hip, beige slacks, and brown combat boots. She smirked as the dog showed her the dragon balls in the bag.

"Nice work Shu!" cheered the girl. "Emperor Oolong will be pleased for sure!" The dog smirked at the compliment.

"It was too easy Mai!" bragged the dog. "They had them sitting out on a table, completely unguarded. How dumb can you possibly get." He then sniffed the air as a strange scent hit his snout. "Is it just me, or is the scent of smoke in the air?"

The dragon balls suddenly puffed, revealing four paper bombs. Back at the rock formation, everyone turned into logs. The bomb there went off just before the paper ones went off. Mai and Shu stood there, covered in ash. Shu coughed as he fell over.

 _"WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED OVER THERE!?"_ shouted a voice over a com in Mai's ear. _"WHERE ARE THE DRAGON BALLS!?"_ She slowly raised her hand to answer the call.

"It was a trap sir." answered Mai. "The dragon balls we acquired were actually explosive orbs. I bet one hundred percent that the people back at the formation were also fake, so the bomb Shu set was basically ineffective. Forgive us Emperor Pilaf." The man on the other end, now known as Emperor Pilaf, growled at the predicament.

 _"You are to find them and forcefully take the dragon balls from them. Do I make myself clear?"_ Mai saluted the man, while Shu just put his hand on top of his head while he lay on the ground.

"YES SIR EMPEROR PILAF!" shouted both Mai and Shu. Mai then looked down to her partner.

"Are you gonna get up any time soon?" asked Mai. The dog looked over to her.

"Just a few more minutes." answered Shu. Meanwhile, Naruto was smirking from a chair. They had gotten into Bulma's RV and left the scene, but Naruto left a little surprise behind. Sufficed to say he enjoyed being a ninja. Bulma shot up from the sound of the explosions.

"What was that?" asked Bulma as she rubbed her eyes. Naruto looked over to her.

"Just some Dry Lightning." partially lied Naruto. He had called the trick Dry Lightning a few days after he came up with it. "Nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep Bulma-Hime." Bulma, groggy and exhausted, raised her hand as she turned back to the bed.

"You ain't hear'n any complaints from me." Naruto looked up to the sky as Bulma returned to slumber. He could see so many stars without all the trees. He looked over to all his allies. They were kinda growing on him, even the new additions.

'Best decision I've made in a while.' The boy then looked down at the four star dragon ball. 'Wish you were around to hear this story Grandpa.' Naruto resealed the dragon balls as he went to sleep.

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

Hiruzen Sarutobi was working on some last minute paper work. He definitely loved Fu Nisekuma's suggestion with the shadow clones. Even though the paper work increased, he still found that he had enough time to actually visit his family and partake in more relaxing practices. He was signing the last piece of paper work, when he heard a knock at his door. He sighed as he finished up his signature.

"Come in." said the Hokage. An ANBU officer entered the room and bowed. "Well? What is it?"

"Lord Hokage, you are needed in I and T." stated the ANBU. "A shadow clone of one Goku Toyotomi has returned with a missing nin from Kumo and some startling news about his assigned mission." Hiruzen quickly exited the room and followed the officer. Once they reached the building, they could here the screams of the missing nin. Hiruzen found the Goku clone and kneeled down to check on him.

"Are you alright my boy?" Goku just smirked. "You aren't hurt are you?"

"I'm fine Jiji." reassuredly laughed Goku. The boy then explained the truth to Hiruzen. The Hokage definitely wasn't fond of the trick, but he felt sorrowful for the people of Wave. He was relieved to hear that the team decided to continue with the mission and Goku's wise choice for the fate of their remaining attacker. "So anyway, we might be able to handle it, but some backup might be necessary."

Hiruzen nodded as he stood up.

"Wise choice for someone your age Goku. You definitely deserved that forehead protector." Goku smirked in response. "I'll send a team directly to Tazuna's house to secure his family in the event of an attack. As for some back up, I believe you should be able to handle getting him there."

Goku continued to smirk as his shadow clone puffed out of existence. Hiruzen looked to the ANBU behind him with a serious face. "Did you not here me? Call in Team 10! I will give them the assignment as a B-rank mission, importance level 3."

The ANBU officer bowed respectfully, then took off. He then took a breath of his pipe as a figure appeared behind him. It was revealed to be Fu Nisekuma. Hiruzen breathed out a puff of smoke as he turned to the man. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting Fu?"

"I wanted to talk about a transfer." said Fu. "It's for the good of our favorite blonde." This left Hiruzen a little confused, but one thing was clear. Between the joint mission of Team 7 and Team 8, assigning a new mission to Team 10, and now Fu's visit, there was going to be a lot more paper work to do.

 _Road to Wave_

The group was currently on their way to a river that separated them from the home of their client, Tazuna. The memories from Goku's shadow clone had just arrived, and he filled the others in on the situation. Tazuna was releaved that the Hokage was willing to send a team to keep his family safe while he worked, though he was still wary of children fighting these battles. Kakashi seemed pretty annoyed by the mention of Team 10, but no one was quite sure why. Only Goku could here the word youth being shouted from the high heavens.

They soon arrived at the river. Goku suddenly felt an ominous energy as the boat made landfall. Something was wrong, really wrong. Goku nodded to Sakura and Hinata like the last time, receiving nods of confirmation from both. Sasuke looked between the three, understanding that they knew something.

They soon reached the other side of the stream. They all got out, and Goku took the lead. Sakura and Hinata remained close to Tazuna, Shino sent out some insects in response to their actions, Kiba and Akamaru prepared to redeem themselves, and Sasuke kept an eye out for whatever it is they were looking for. A rabbit suddenly hopped in their path, causing Hinata to lose focus. She walked over to pet it, when Goku suddenly wrapped her in his arms as he tackled her to the ground.

A mud wall was made by a shadow clone to block a sudden explosion. Goku raised his head as he checked on Hinata. He found that she was blushing, the reason obvious as he was laying right on top of her. She half expected him to lean in. Instead, she got a concerned face from the boy.

"Are you okay?" asked Goku. "Do you have a fever?" Sakura couldn't believe that he suggested that Hinata had a fever. The poor heiress couldn't keep up her composure and fainted under the saiyan. "Hinata!"

The sound of soft laughter reached their ears, and they both hopped up and into their respective battle stances. A tall and noticeably muscular man with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair, dark brown eyes, and small eyebrows stood before them. He wore bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face, a forehead protector sideways on his head, a belt, baggy pants with a striped pattern, and mimetic wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows, with matching leg-warmers. Attached to his back by the belt was a large broadsword. It was as tall as a full-grown man and shaped like a butcher knife.

The blade had two large circular holes, one close to the top and a semi-circular one nearer to the handle, the former obviously used to relieve one of his head. He glared at the group in front of him.

"This is the group of shinobi who defeated the Demon Brothers?" asked the man. "I'm not impressed, but my source tells me that the young ones have potential. Prove it by making the smart choice and move out of my way." The man pointed his blade at Tazuna, and the girls stood in front of said man. "My only business is with the bridge builder."

Kakashi then stood in his way as well.

"I'm afraid we have orders to protect him until the completion of the bridge." said Kakashi. He looked over to his team. "All of you, protect Tazuna. I'll deal with Zabuza Momochi myself." Kurenai looked to Team 8, the same orders written in her eyes.

Zabuza smirked as both groups followed the orders of their sensei.

"You've heard of me, yet you still stand in my way? You are one foolish Jonin. Maybe I should thin Konohagakure's ranks." He ran at Kakashi, preparing to slice him in half. Kakashi just held up a kunai and blocked the attack.

Zabuza was more than surprised by the occurance, and fell prey to a hard kick from Kakashi. The Jonin threw multiple kunai at Zabuza, but the missing nin blocked them all with his huge sword. They continued this back and forth cycle as mist began to fill the area. Kakashi looked around, then his eye widened. He turned to warn his team, but instead found himself blocking an attack from Zabuza.

Zabuza chuckled. "You've caught on to my little trick haven't you? Well it's already too late. Their screams of agony will fill the air soon enough." There were screams, but they certainly not the genins' voices.

"You underestimate our teams." said Kurenai as she slashed Zabuza, only for the man to turn to water and fall to the ground. Back with the others, they had just disposed of multiple clones of Zabuza. Suddenly, another grabbed Tazuna by the shoulder. He was suddenly hit by a ki blast, however, and disappeared in steam. Tazuna watched as the children reformed their tight lock around him.

"Water clones." said Sasuke. "He must be a missing nin from Kirigakure." Zabuza's chuckle filled the air once more.

"I'm impressed boy. Though I guess I should've expected it from an Uchiha. I wonder if you've activated those eyes of yours yet." Sasuke looked forward, only to see Goku get in front of Zabuza's sword. It pierced him, but he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Be more careful Sasuke." said Goku. "This guy's no pushover." He soon found Zabuza standing in front of him with his sword raised. Sasuke threw a kunai into his chest. The clone turned into water as Goku turned to Sasuke.

"I could say the same to you." replied Sasuke with a smirk.

"Can you idiots focus!?" shouted Kiba as Akamaru lunged for a clone's throat. Kiba followed the attack up by stabbing the fake Zabuza in the head. Shino unleashed some aquatic insects at the clones. The bugs but down on kill points as the clones splashed on the ground. He turned to the others as telepathic insects landed on them.

 _'We can't see anything in this mist.'_ said Shino over the connection. _'We have to deal with it before we can win this battle.'_ Goku suddenly got an idea as he looked to Sakura.

"Secure Tazuna and Hinata!" Sakura understood and held on to the bridge builder and the heiress. Goku breathed in as he began to charge his energy. Suddenly, shockwaves were sent out from where he stood. Rocks flew in the air as his energy continued to increase.

Any sensory ninja for miles could feel a small portion of the energy being charged. Goku suddenly stopped, causing a massive pulse to disperse the mist. Tazuna stood shocked as Sakura finally let go of him. They soon were able to see all the water clones that were around them. Suffice to say they were all stunned by the boy's display of power.

'What is this brat?' thought Zabuza. Goku smirked as he began to volley the clones with a multitude of ki blasts, Sakura doing the same from the other side and Sasuke preparing a fire ball jutsu. Soon, only one remained. The original was dumbstruck by the power of the genin. He smirked at their close proximity to the bridge builder, and got his hands in position.

Kakashi ran at him. As Zabuza created the first sign, Kakashi lifted his headband and followed along.

"WATER STYLE, SHARK BOMB JUTSU!" said both men. Two water sharks popped up from behind them. Zabuza sent his forward first, but Kakashi's was faster. The two attacks clashed, the animals fighting a bit before exploding into a puddle of water. Zabuza looked to Kakashi in surprise.

"That was awesome Kakashi-sensei!" shouted Goku. Zabuza smirked at that name.

"I guess I should've expected a strong shinobi to cross my path eventually." said Zabuza. "I never expected it to be Kakashi of the Sharingan though." Sasuke gasped and looked to his sensei. Indeed, a sharingan adorned his sensei's left eye. It swirled as it locked on to the missing nin.

"Keep that form around Tazuna!" ordered Kakashi. They resumed their positions, covering all angles. Zabuza growled as he prepared a special jutsu. Suddenly, Kakashi mimicked his first hand sign, then his second, third and on from there. Zabuza was shocked at the sight.

"What!? Can you predict the future!?" Kurenai landed beside the Sharingan wielder.

"He can, and your future is death!" shouted Kurenai. Kakashi cringed as she stole his line.

"WATER STYLE, MULTI SHARK BOMB JUTSU!" shouted Kakashi. A multitude of water sharks rushed Zabuza, pinning him against a tree. Kakashi was about to go for another strike, when two needles pierced straight through Zabuza's neck. All eyes turned to what appeared to be a man with long black hair, wearing a mask over his face to hide it. Other than the mask, he wore a green haori with white trimmings, a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around his waist twice, light-brown platoon sandals with straps in the same color as his kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue green color.

"I give you my thanks for keeping him busy." said the man as he hopped down from the tree he was standing on. "Do you know how hard it is for a hunter nin to catch one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?" Sakura sounded her understanding. Goku turned to her with a confused face.

"You know what a hunter nin is?" asked Goku. Sakura nodded.

"Hunter nin are tasked with tracking down missing nin and returning them to their country dead or alive." explained Sakura. The ninja nodded his head.

"That's the gist of my job." replied the man. He walked over and grabbed Zabuza's body. Kakashi nodded and gave the hunter a nod.

"Well we best get out of your way then." said Kakashi. He looked to his students. "Let's get a move on. We have a mission to complete." The team nodded, but Goku sent a quick glance towards the hunter nin.

He sensed out his energy. His suspicions were confirmed, but he knew this wasn't the time to start a fight since they had a vulnerable civilian. He returned his sights forward as the ninja took off. The group was about to move forward, when Kakashi collapsed. The teams ran over to check on him.

"Is he alright?" asked Tazuna. Goku and Sakura looked to him.

"He's just suffering from chakra depletion." answered Kurenai, causing all eyes to turn to her. "He just needs to rest." Sakura respectively pulled Kakashi's headband back over his sharingan eye. Tazuna was about to offer to carry him, but Goku hoisted the man over his shoulder. They quickly made their way to Tazuna's house, where a few men were being carted off.

The bridge builder quickly ran to one of the villagers.

"What happened here?" The man smiled as he turned to Tazuna.

"Apparently these men came to your house looking for trouble." answered the man. "A group of Konoha ninja gave them more trouble then they planned to cause. Two specifically kept mentioning the power of youth." Kakashi was able to groan in annoyance while he was unconscious. Just the mentioning of that phrase brought about an involuntary reaction. Goku, on the other hand, gave a wide smile as he passed Kakashi to Tazuna and ran in the house.

He leaped when he saw a familiar bowl hair cut boy.

"DYNAMIC SURPRISE!" shouted Goku as he stuck his arm out. Lee turned around as he raised his arm. The two boys clashed in an epic fist bump. At least, that's how it looked to them and a certain look alike. To the rest, it looked like some random event.

"Goku-san!" shouted Lee. Goku landed on the ground and rubbed the back of his head. "It is wonderful to see you again my eternal friend!" Goku laughed and nodded.

"Great to see you too Lee." A girl suddenly walked over to greet them. She had dark brown hair put up in two buns and eyes of matching color. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons, dark green pants, a pouch adjusted to her thigh, a standard Konoha forehead protector and blue sandals. Goku knew her as Tenten, a girl who really loved weapons.

"Long time no see Goku." greeted Tenten. Goku smirked to the girl. "It's great to see you again."

"Same to you Tenten." He then glanced over to see Neji resting in a chair. He only had enough energy to raise his hand for a greeting. Goku returned his attention to his two long time friends. "What's wrong with Neji-sama?"

Tenten snickered as she turned to her teammate.

"He couldn't handle Lee flying us here and lost consciousness. He hasn't moved from that chair since we got here a few hours ago." Goku sounded his agreement. Tazuna and the rest of his team entered the building. Tazuna placed Kakashi down on the couch, when suddenly a strange man burst into the room.

The man was almost a carbon copy of Lee. The only differences were his height, age, and the fact that his face was definitely that of a mature man. Both Kakashi and Neji unconsciously groaned at the man's arrival. Goku guessed this was the great Mighty Guy that Lee idolized. The man suddenly rushed over to great them.

"You must be Team's 7, 8, and the client Tazuna!" cried Guy. "It seems my rival has a very youthful bunch, as do you Kurenai!" He glanced to Kakashi then turned his gaze back to them. He suddenly freaked out as he once again looked to Kakashi. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ETERNAL RIVAL!?"

"He blacked out from Chakra depletion." answered Sakura, still feeling awkward about the whole thing. "He had to use his sharingan just to win." Guy still held his shocked face.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO COOL WHILE BEING UNCONCIOUS!?" Goku held back a chuckle while the others just gave the man a deadpanned look. The man smacked his own face then looked to the roof. "YOSH! To keep up with you, I will run around the entire village one hundred times! Wish me luck children!"

He ran out the door, with Lee trailing behind.

"I will join you Guy sensei!" shouted Lee as the door closed behind them. As soon as they left, Kakashi sat up from his spot.

"Why did it have to be him?" asked Kakashi. Neji opened his eyes and looked over to the jonin.

"Great minds think alike." said Neji. Tenten and Sakura just shook their heads at the men. Neji looked to Hinata as she was rested in a chair. "What happened?" Goku shrugged, causing Sakura to sigh.

"She... passed out from overworking herself." lied Sakura. "She's really working hard." Neji nodded in understanding. At least she wasn't slacking off. Tazuna soon introduced them to his family.

Tsunami, his daughter, was a very nice lady. Inari, his grandson, was a different story. That wasn't important right now, however as they grew weary from their travels. Soon the only ones left awake were Goku, Tenten, Sakura, and Hinata who had recently awakened from her passed out state. Tenten was getting a glass of water, Goku was combing his tail, and Sakura was sharing stories with Hinata.

Sakura sat up in her sleeping bag as she looked over to the resting Sasuke. She sighed as she saw an actual smile on his face. He actually looked very peaceful. She then looked over to Goku. He just finished with the brush and placed it back in his travel bag.

She was cut off by Hinata's laughter.

"So Akamaru bit Goku-Kun's tail, making him yelp out in pain." said Hinata as she continued her story. "Goku weakly ran around as Kiba tried to get Akamaru off of him." Sakura chuckled as Goku's ear twitched. "You should've seen him when someone mentioned a visit to the doctor."

"WHERE?!" shouted Goku as he held his tail in fear. The two girls blinked multiple times before giggling at the boy. He blushed with a chuckle as he waved at them. Sakura waved back, but Hinata turned with a blush of her own.

Hinata suddenly looked down in realization. This is definitely a dangerous mission. Sakura's sensei had to use his trump card against Zabuza, and it took a lot out of him. She was glad that hunter nin came around when he did. One thought crossed her mind as she closed her eyes.

'Will I really do any good on this mission?' thought Hinata.

"What kind of question is that even?" asked Goku. The Hyūga heiress became as red as a tomato. She actually asked that question out loud. Sakura gave her a serious look as Goku shook his head. "Why would you doubt yourself?"

Sakura stood up at that point. She had a feeling this would get personal.

"Well, I'm gonna go see what Tenten is doing." said Sakura as she walked off. Hinata felt betrayed as she was left alone with Goku. She slowly turned to him, her expression innocent. He had his arms crossed as he awaited Hinata's explanation. The heiress sighed in defeat as she turned to face the saiyan.

"It's just... that Z...Zabuza guy took all of M...Mr. Kakashi's strength to beat him, and he's a high level jonin. What hope do we have?" Goku sat in a meditative position and made a ki sphere. He motioned his eyes, and Hinata did the same.

"We have mastered the art of using and expanding our physical energy. We have enhanced strength and powerful blast attacks. Sure he may have stronger jutsu, but we have the ability to enhance our own strength. We just have to get the drop on him as soon as possible." Hinata shook her head with a false smile.

"You really think I can do something? I was hardly any help in the last battle, being unconscious and all." Goku suddenly sat beside her, causing the ki she was generating to dissipate.

"I know so. You're stronger than you think Hinata. You're honestly the strongest girl I know. You're also caring, sweet, honest, and an overall compassionate person." Hinata's blush deepened as she looked to the monkey boy. She stared into his eyes, able to sera darker version of her reflection in those onyx mirrors.

She felt something begin to wrap around her waist. Goku looked down, then his cheeks ran red. Hinata also looked down to see his tail wrap around her. She looked up as the tail unwound to see Tenten walk back to her sleeping bag. She looked over to Goku, but he was laying down in his sleeping bag.

Hinata sighed as she laid down in her sleepin she didn't know, however, was that Goku was covering his mouth as he stared at the wall. He looked back to a memory back with his Uncle.

 _Flashback_

 _Goku was four years old that day. Uncle fu had given him a bowl of Ichiraku's ramen. He loved the meal so much. He began to eat as his tail wrapped around the bowl. Uncle fu suddenly but gently pulled his tail away from the bowl._

 _"I wouldn't do that sport." said Fu. Young Goku gave him a confused look._

 _"Why?" asked young Goku. "I just don't want my ramen to run away from me." Fu chuckled as he looked around. He smirked knelt down to meet the boy's ear._

 _"In the Toyotomi clan, if you've fallen for someone, you're tail will instinctively wrap around their waist." Goku gave him a disgusted face._

 _"Eww! Dat gross!" Uncle Fu suddenly laughed at the child._

 _"We'll see if you think the same way when you're older." The young Goku lost all attention to the man as he returned to his ramen._

 _End Flashback_

Goku rolled over to look at Hinata. He could see the peaceful look on her slumbering face. His tail began to reach out for her again, but she was too far away. He grabbed his tail and turned away.

"We're just friends, and she probably doesn't like me anyway." whispered Goku to himself. His tail stretched out once again, but he was too tired to think about it anymore and fell asleep. The next morning, Kakashi was the first of his team to awaken. He was about to wake the others up, when someone shushed him. He looked over to see Tenten with a finger over her mouth.

The girl pointed to Hinata. Kakashi looked to the heiress to find her sprawled out. He noticed her hand was wrapped by Goku's tail. He groaned as he rubbed his temples. This was gonna get complicated. A little while later, Hinata awakened.

She felt the warmth around her hand, and turned to gaze at it. She found the same thing the others found. She was okay with it for a moment, then inaudibly screamed. She yanked her hand away, thankful that it didn't wake the young Toyotomi. She got up from her sleeping bag and went to get changed.

Meanwhile, Sakura straightened her forehead protector as she stared into the mirror. She thought over the events of last night, having heard and seen the whole conversation between Goku and Hinata. She hated how Tenten had to ruin the moment. If that happened to her and Sasuke... She closed her eyes as a pain suddenly rushed into her head.

When she reopened her eyes, she found her in the middle of a battlefield. She saw Sasuke and Goku standing off. She blinked multiple times, Weren't they sworn brothers? Why were they against each other?

"Guys!" shouted Sakura, but she received no response. She gasped as they watched them exchange blows. "What's going on!? Why are you fighting!" Instead of responding, both fighters began charging up strange attacks.

Suddenly, without her telling them to, her legs moved forward. She couldn't stop. Sasuke charged forward as his hand became coated in lightning. A chakra sphere formed in Goku's hands as he held them back. Sasuke suddenly threw his hand forward.

"CHIDORI!" shouted Sasuke. Goku also threw his hands forward, sending a beam towards him.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" shouted Goku as the beam went forward. Sakura leaped, unable to stop herself. She found herself in between the two attacks. Both boys' faces turned to fear. Sasuke's hand hit her just as Goku's attack reached her back.

"SAKURA!" shouted both boys. She suddenly felt shaking. She opened her eyes. Kakashi had turned her towards him and looked her straight in the eyes. Hinata stood behind the Jonin with a worried look.

"Are you alright Sakura?" asked Kakashi. Sakura shook her head as she fully returned to reality.

"Y-yeah." answered Sakura. "I'm fine." Kakashi visibly frowned at her. His face suddenly turned back to his usual stare.

"You better hurry or you'll miss breakfast. Our hosts were nice enough to make enough food for us." Sakura nodded and ran to the kitchen with Hinata in tow. Kakashi looked back at the mirror. He waved his hand, and a purple wave dissipated from the object.

'That Nisekuma probably knows what's going on.' thought Kakashi as he got a little of the energy to go into a bottle. He suddenly summoned his ninken, and handed the object to him. "Take that to Fu Nisekuma for examination." The dog nodded and vanished. He sighed as he returned to his team.

He was so relieved to learn that Mighty Guy had taken his genin for early morning training. He and his team could actually eat in piece alongside team 8. When he heard someone shout youth to the high heavens, he knew it was time to get to training. He pulled his team out of the building, and Kurenai followed suit, but not for the same motives. She looked around to make sure they weren't followed, then turned to her team.

She took note that Kiba stood in between Goku and Hinata. "Today's training will be tree climbing." Kiba and Akamaru gave her confused looks, but Goku and Hinata understood entirely what she meant. "Try to see how far up the tree you can get without falling." Kiba walked over to a tree and began to reach for a limb.

He suddenly received a hard smack in the back.

"What the heck!" shouted Kiba as Akamaru growled at Kurenai. "I was just doing what you said!" Kurenai shook her head as she turned to the tree.

"That's not what I meant." She walked over the tree, then began to literally walk up it. Both Kiba and Akamaru looked at their sensei in awe. She stopped and walked out onto a branch. "The more you practice, the longer you can keep your hold until you stand sideways for hours."

The group nodded and waited for an explanation. "The trick is to pull at the bark with the chakra in your feet. You'll want to pull just enough to keep you attached, but not too much or you won't be able to move." She looked over to Hinata, who was rubbing her arm. "Why don't you try to demonstrate Hinata?"

The girl looked to her sensei and nodded. She walked past Goku, who was trying to control his tail. She breathed in, then put her foot against the tree. She suddenly was able to stay attached, and began to walk up the tree. She reached the top, impressed by the view.

She soon walked back down, met by the happy faces of her comrades. She blushed as Goku smiled and Kiba smirked. "Nice job Hinata. That was perfect control. I might have to find something harder for you to do."

The heiress gulped at her sensei's words. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Goku giving her a thumbs up. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks, but she was able to resist fainting since she was more prepared. Kiba walked past them and took a try.

He only got four steps up the tree before he fell to the ground. Goku resisted the urge to laugh. Akamaru licked the Inuzuka's face. Kiba was definitely furious.

'Darn you Mitsuki and your tampering!' thought Kiba as he stood up.

"It looks like you'll have to learn better control Kiba-san." Kiba just walked over to his sensei with his head down.

"Why do we even need to keep training? The strongest man that Gato could throw at us is dead."

"About that, isn't it odd how some needles were able to kill Zabuza so easily?" said Kakashi, having a similar discussion with the Uchiha. Sasuke thought over his sensei's words. Kakashi then turned to the other two genin. "I'm sure one of you were able to figure it out." Sakura gave him a confused look, until flared she scanned the area. She gasped as she felt a familiar ki.

She looked to Shino, who nodded. "That's right. Zabuza Momochi is still very much alive."

Sasuke was stunned by the news. That hunter nin was actually a colleague of the demon. Kakashi breathed in as the full weight of the situation set in. "We have to assume that he'll try for another attempt on the bridge builder's life. We have to be prepared."

Goku took a step forward as Kiba let his jaw hang.

"You find something to train Hinata on." said Goku. Hinata wasn't offended since she knew Goku had faith in her. "I'll help Kiba with tree walking." Kurenai was about to retort, when Goku easily ran up to a high tree branch. "You think living with the Hokage's family means I slacked off on training?"

Kurenai chuckled at her student. Did showing off run in his family or something?

"I see you have everything under control here." said Kurenai as she turned to Hinata. "Come on Hinata. I've got an idea which will help you immensely." The heiress nodded as she followed her sensei. Goku watched as they ran in the direction of the river, then turned his attention back to Kiba.

"Now let's see you catch me Dog Breath." The Kiba growled at the insult. "Don't tell me the Inuzuka give up so easily." Kiba gave Goku an evil smirk as Akamaru growled.

"You're gonna regret those words Monkey King." said Kiba as he and Akamaru once again attempted to run up the tree. He also failed once again, landing on his head. Meanwhile, Kakashi had brought Sakura to the lake. Sakura watched as Kakashi walked towards the water.

"I want you to do the opposite of what the others are doing." Instructed Kakashi. Sakura watched as the man began to walk on water. "I want you to find the right amount of chakra to keep you above the water. It's the reverse of the tree walking technique."

Kakashi walked back to the ground and sat down on a log. "Too little chakra and you'll fall straight through. Too much, and you'll send yourself flying. Is that clear enough?" Sakura nodded, then walked towards the water.

"It seems we have the same idea Kakashi-san." said Kurenai as her and Hinata approached. Hinata rubbed her arm as she walked over to the water. "Kakashi gave the details of the training, so I expect you to try your hardest." Hinata nodded as she tried to focus.

Both girls slowly walked across the water. Amazingly, Hinata was able to walk across the water... for twenty five steps exactly. She suddenly sunk like a rock, Sakura following after thirty steps. She swam to the lake side and coughed up some water. She looked up to Kurenai with sorrowful eyes.

"I honestly don't know what happened." said Hinata. "I had perfect control." Kakashi sighed as he looked to both Genin.

"Control, yes. Concentration, not by a mile. Both of you let your concentration sway for a single moment, then you let go of your control. You need to learn to do it consciously before you can do it subconsciously. Twenty five steps is rather impressive though, for someone just starting out."

Both girls sighed as they cleared her minds. They tried the exercise multiple times, with various results. Meanwhile, back with Goku and Kiba, they decided to join Sasuke and Shino, Actually switching partners. Sasuke was definitely getting better. He still couldn't reach Goku, but the monkey boy was going higher as the Uchiha reached him.

He hit a roadblock, however, when they got halfway up the tall tree. Goku chuckled as he hung from a sturdy branch.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" asked Goku. "You won't be able to keep up if you don't get better." Sasuke just growled in response.

"I'm over this today!" shouted Sasuke. "This training is pointless!" He started to walk off as Goku returned to the ground.

"OH COME ON! Don't give up on me now Sasuke! Itachi could do it at..." He stopped as he felt an ominous aura from Sasuke. "Let me start that again."

It was too late for that. Sasuke turned to Naruto, his anger almost visible. The other two turned their attention to the sworn siblings, Kiba resting on a limb as he prepared to watch.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT ITACHI!" Sasuke suddenly ran for Goku. The monkey boy screamed as he ran up the tree. Sasuke suddenly took off after him. They definitely went past the half way point.

Sasuke finally caught Goku by the tail. Goku had jumped from the top of the tree, preparing to fly off. He squealed as he felt the squeeze on his hairy appendage. He suddenly went limp as he fell. "Crap."

Goku began to fall, pulling Sasuke along with him. Back at the lake, Sakura was finally succeeding at running on water with Hinata not far behind. Both Jonin instructors smiled as the girls ran back his way. A sudden crashing sound made Sakura loose focus and fall below the water. She was lucky it was the shallows, but that didn't matter to her as she ran back to where the boys were.

When she arrived, Sasuke had Naruto by the collar while Kiba was holding his gut in laughter. Hinata gasped as she stood behind Sakura, worried for the saiyan. "Take back what you said or..."

"OKAY! I admit I said the wrong name in the wrong situation, but on the plus side, you got to the top." Sasuke looked back up to the tree, then turned back to Goku. His arm dropped from it's position as he began to laugh. Soon both boys were sprawled out on the ground as they entered a fit of laughter.

'Boys.' thought Sakura a she rolled her eyes.

 ** _'I know right?'_** said Inner Sakura. Sakura had found out she could actually communicate with the second voice a long time ago. She wouldn't tell anyone else mind you. They'd think she needed mental help if she told anyone. She sighed as she walked over to the two.

"I think we've all had enough training for today." said Kakashi as he suddenly appeared. "Let's head back and make sure Tazuna's family hasn't gone crazy form our 'interesting' companions." The students nodded in agreement and followed their sensei back to the house with Team 8 in tow. Kakashi certainly had the right idea, since the family was definitely freaked out by the training regime of Guy and Lee. A few hours later, Kakashi had called a joint team meeting.

"I've called you all here on the account that a very dangerous enemy we previously encountered is still at large. Zabuza is the real threat to the operation here, being a high level missing nin and a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. It's a given that we'll have to confront him again before the bridge is complete. Each team will remain focused on their given missions, but should anything go wrong, each team should find a way to signal for back up." Guy stepped in front of Kakashi.

"In case something goes wrong with the joined mission Teams 8 and 7, Lee and Tenten will take off for assistance." added Guy as he nodded to his Genin. Kurenai then stepped in front of her team.

"If Team 10 has trouble, Sasuke, Sakura, Kiba, and Akamaru will rush to our aid." said Kurenai as she jestured to the aforementioned genin. "If something goes wrong with both missions, we'll each be on our own." Guy nodded in agreement as he pumped his fist.

"Do not fret my comrades! The youth within us all will definitely be enough to take on any threat Gato can send our way."

"NO IT WON'T!" shouted Inari, catching everyone by surprise. "YOU'LL DIE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!"

"Inari!" scolded Tsunami. Inari ignored his mother as he continued his rant.

"EVERYONE WHO GOES AGAINST HIM ENDS UP DEAD! NO ONE CAN STOP HIM! YOU'RE ALL JUST A BUNCH OF GENIN, A WEIRD WORKAHOLIC, A CRAZY WOMAN, AND A LAZY ONE EYED JONIN." Guy frowned at the boy, but noticed the sad tone in his voice.

Goku stepped forward, a frown on his face.

"You've only known us for one day." argued Goku. "You have no idea what we're capable of. I stake my name as a Toyotomi on the fact that we will keep your grandfather safe and make sure the bridge is complete." Inari ran up to punch Goku, but the monkey boy held his hand up to catch the attack.

"Inari that's enough!" shouted Tsunami. "You go to your room right now mister!" Inari ran deeper into the house, but Goku noticed the tears coming down his face. Tsunami sighed. "I'm sorry for his behavior."

"The boy hasn't been the same since Kaiza died." said Tazuna. Kakashi hummed in understanding.

"it is hard to lose a loved one." agreed Kakashi. Tsunami shook her head with a false smile.

"Oh Kaiza wasn't his father. My husband died before Inari could know him. Kaiza was a man who took an oath to protect the village. Inari grew so attached to him that he became a fatherly figure to him. There's no need to tell you what happened."

"Gatō." Tsunami nodded her head as Kurenai growled.

"Kaiza stood against Gatō and his subjugation. The man used his strangle hold on the land to have him put to death. The fatherly figure of Inari's whole life was suddenly gone, it made him heartbroken, and he became an angry child." Goku walked towards the front door. He glanced back at the others.

"I need a minute." said Goku as he suddenly flew off. The girls started to go after him, but Sasuke put his arm in their path.

"When Goku needs a minute, it's best to give it to him." said Sasuke. He looked back to the door. "He'll be back before we leave." Goku flew deep into the forest. He finally stopped at a clearing.

He looked up to the sky in thought. He sighed as he began to meditate. Uncle Fu had taught him that meditation was a good way to calm your nerves. He definitely needed it, because this Gatō rubbed him the wrong way. A few hours into meditation, he felt a familiar presence.

A girl approached him as he opened his eyes. She had long, flowing black hair. She wore a pink, sleeveless kimono, with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-colored swirls, that went to her ankles. Around her waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow. She also wore a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps and a dark-colored choker around her neck.

"Hello there." greeted the girl. "Would you happen to be a shinobi?" Goku smirked.

"The forehead protector should make it obvious." said Goku. The girl understood his friendly intent as she drew closer.

"You seem to be a long way from home. What brings you here?" Goku still held his smirk.

"I'm here on a mission to protect someone. He has loved ones who would be happy if he stayed alive for the rest of his years." The girl chuckled a bit.

"We can all relate to that." The girl held up a basket. "You look like you could use a snack. Would you like some fresh fruits?" Goku nodded as he scooted over a bit.

The girl sat down next to him and handed him a cup of fruits. Goku nodded his head in thanks, and slowly ate at the fruit. They stayed within each others company for a bit. Goku could tell that she was trustworthy, since he sensed no ill will from her. "Can I ask you something?"

"As long as it's not something crazy." The girl only continued to smile.

"Say you have someone you want to protect. They have a huge dream they want to accomplish, and you want to see it through to the end. What lengths would you go to help them?" Goku rubbed his chin in thought.

"That's really a question with varying answers." The girl looked away with a frown.

"I see." Goku removed his hand from his chin and smiled.

"I'd probably go to the point of stopping them when they get out of hand." This answer shocked the girl. "If they start to go too far, then they might end up cutting their life short. What good is having a dream if you're not around to fulfil it? That's where the people who truly love you step in to make sure you can see your dream to it's end."

The girl thought over his words for a minute, then stood up.

"That is a fine answer for someone so young. I must be on my way." The girl began to walk off, then stopped. "By the way, I'm a boy." Goku just smirked at her.

"Not gonna get me with that one. I'm not as naïve as some people think I am." The girl laughed as she disappeared into the forest. Goku frowned when he could no longer see her. 'Get ready, because our dreams will clash when you and Zabuza show your faces again.'

Having cleared his head, Goku flew off to meet with the others. He found that they were already on their way to escort Tazuna to the bridge. They began to approach the bridge, when Goku held out his arm. Sakura instinctively sensed the area, then held her mouth.

"People are dying." said Sakura. The others were stunned by this declaration. Kakashi raised his arm, and the genin formed around Tazuna to protect him. Mist suddenly filled the area as they approached the areas where the ki signatures dropped like flies. Tazuna took a step back in shock.

"Who could've done this to all of these people?" asked Tazuna. Kurenai raised her blade as Shino scattered his insects.

"I told them to take a vacation." said a familiar voice. Zabuza and the hunter nin stepped into view. "The smart ones decided to take any family and flee the country. You can clearly see what happened to the others." Goku frowned, but his gaze was on the hunter nin.

"Permission to take on the tailed one Zabuza." said the boy. Zabuza glanced at him, then chuckled.

"Getting bold Haku, but I'll grant your request. Make sure to end him and the Uchiha." Before Kakashi could get in the way, two mirrors of ice appeared beside the boys. Goku found himself caught by a surprise kick, followed by Sasuke being pushed in the same direction. A huge wall of ice stood in between them and the others.

"Goku-kun!" shouted Hinata as she prepared to go after them.

"Stay with the bridge builder!" ordered Kurenai. "Those two can handle themselves. We need all available hands keeping the client alive." Hinata felt anger boiling inside her, but sighed as she stuck with Tazuna. Inside the sphere, the sworn brothers started to stand as the hunter walked out of a mirror.

"I will do as Zabuza commands." said Haku with killing intent. "Unless you cooperate and surrender the bridge builder, you will die." She prepared her senbon needles, her warning received. Goku looked to Sasuke, who nodded. They both entered their respective stances.

"I'm afraid we can't do that." said Sasuke as he withdrew his kunai. "We won't go down so easily."

"We will show you the might of Konoha's Will of Fire!" shouted Goku as he cocked his fist. Suddenly, both boys leaped forward to confront Haku. She readied her needles as they finally approached. Back with the others, Sakura was tempted to join Kakashi, but he glanced back at her to quell the idea. Her sensei looked back to his opponent, who patiently awaited his full attention.

"I'd start looking for new students Hatake." said Zabuza. "Haku fulfills every order given to her. Your students don't stand a chance." Kakashi pulled out a kunai as he readied for battle. Kurenai stood by his side as Zabuza unsheathed his sword for the same reason.

"You underestimate our students Zabuza." argued Kakashi. "They are some of the strongest genin this world has ever seen. No kekei genkai will slow them down. Goku Toyotomi is known for his immense strength and his genius in battle, while Sasuke is one of the last members of the Uchiha clan."

Zabuza loosened his stance.

"You make it sound like they could take you on at full power." Kakashi nodded with a serious glare. Kurenai was about to hop forward, but Kakashi held his arm out.

"If I let them they could go toe to toe with you, but they have their orders and so do I." Kakashi rushed Zabuza, swinging his kunai at him. "This battle is mine alone." Zabuza smirked as he blocked the blade. A water clone appeared behind Kakashi, but a shadow clone of Kakashi's blocked his blade.

Sakura stood in her position, switching her glance between the fight she could see and the fight she couldn't. Hinata suddenly sent a ki blast forward, striking a hidden water clone. Another clone was about to strike Tazuna, but Shino suddenly appeared in front of him and delivered a devastating kick to his gut. The clone turned into a puddle as the Aburame landed. Kiba and Akamaru tore through multiple Zabuza clones as they ran offense.

Back over with Inari, the boy was sitting at a dock as he looked over the water. He held a picture of Kaiza, the man he once held high above all others. He began to cry as he crumpled the picture. He suddenly threw it towards the water. It disappeared into the mist as Inari took a deep breath.

"LIAR!" shouted Inari. "YOU GAVE YOUR WORD THAT YOU'D PROTECT THIS PLACE, BUT YOU HAD TO GO AND DIE! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Inari fell to his knees as he began to cry. A hooded individual suddenly appeared behind him.

"Do you think he wanted to die?" asked the man. Inari looked back in surprise and fear. "You don't have to worry about me kid. I'm just a concerned traveler stopping by. Now I believe I asked you a question."

Inari, still confused and wary, turned to the river and sighed.

"No." The man sat down beside him.

"If he didn't want to die, then do you really think that makes him a liar?" The boy just stood up in anger.

"He had to go and die on me. I thought he was unbeatable. He was supposed to be the hero that kept us safe." He began to cry again, but the stranger dried his tears.

"I know it's hard to lose a loved one, but do you really think it's a good idea to curse his name when he gave it his all. I understand your pain. I too had a loved one who bared a huge weight on her shoulders. She was honestly like a sister to me when no one would treat me as an individual." He pulled out a sword, and stuck it in the dock.

The boy looked over the sword in admiration. "I dare you to try and lift this sword." Inari looked confused, but began to try. He found that he couldn't lift the blade from the ground. He huffed at his last attempt.

"This should be going straight through the dock!" The man chuckled as he put the sword away.

"Back when I was young, Suchīru Kaminari could only be wielded by a chosen blood member of my adopted family. I broke that mold when I used the sword to defend my adopted sister, Miana. From then on they treated me like a trophy instead of a person, but I always had Miana's support."

Inari listened closer, only for the man to suddenly disappear. He turned to find the man slashing two bandits across the chest. His hood was down, revealing his black hair. The man looked back, revealing half the face of Caliban Kurosagi. "I wish I could tell you more, but I believe you need to return home."

Inari watched as the man vanished without a trace. The boy suddenly ran home, fearing for his mother. He opened the door and quickly shut it behind him. He was suddenly thrown against the wall by a man. He was about to strike Inari, so the boy looked for something to defend himself with.

He soon found himself grabbing at a handle, and slashed whatever he held at the man. His attacker screamed in pain as he released him and grabbed at his own arm. Inari looked at the object in his hand. It was a small sword with the kanji for Black Lightning engraved in the blade. He noticed the picture he threw was tied to the hilt of the blade.

"You brat!" shouted the assailant as he held his arm. A huge gash ran up the useless appendage. "I'm gonna...

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" shouted Lee as he literally kicked the man through the door. He looked down to check on Inari, who quickly sheathed the blade. "Are you alright my young friend?" Inari shook his head, then remembered why he ran there.

"Mom!" shouted Inari. He looked out the door to find Guy knocking out another man as the rest of Team 10 made sure his mother was safe. Ignoring all safety, the boy ran to his mother. She embraced him as he reached her. When she let go, she noticed the sword at his waist.

"Where did you get that blade?" asked Tsunami. Inari kept his hand tight on the handle.

"Please don't take it away. I'm gonna use it to keep you safe." Tsunami didn't know what to do. Before she could give him her answer, Lee ran over to the group. He gasped as he turned to the bridge.

"Sakura's energy spiked!" shouted Lee. "They're in trouble! Come Tenten!" The mentioned girl nodded as they prepared to take off.

"YOU AIN'T GOIN WITHOUT ME!" shouted Inari at the top of his lungs. Tsunami wasn't having any of it as she grabbed her son by the wrist.

"What do you think you're saying young man!?" asked Tsunami. "You won't be going off to a dangerous battlefield! I won't lose my son!" Inari unsheathed his sword, but held it to his face.

"I won't let this gift go to waste. He gave me this to help me get stronger. To fill the void left by Kaiza. Gatō has to pay for his crimes. I won't let someone else fight my battles anymore!"

Tsunami looked at her son. The sad and angry boy was gone. In his place stood a determined and brave young man with hope in his eyes. She didn't know whether to be scared or proud. One of the villagers walked towards the group.

"The boy is right." said the villager. "We've been letting Gatō and his men walk all over us for too long. Look what he's done to our friends, our loved ones." The man held up a pitchfork. "I'm not gonna stand by and watch children die doing the work we should have done long ago. WHO'S WITH ME!"

Multiple villagers raised their fists while others raised some form of weapon. The whole village let out a war cry as they prepared to rush into battle. Back with Naruto and Sasuke, the boys had the upper hand on Haku. They had a good team dynamic that allowed them to get past the girl's defenses. Goku swung a kunai at her, only for it to be blocked by a wall of ice.

Sasuke suddenly came around the wall and threw a punch at her. Haku wasn't able to block in time, and felt the full force of the punch. She walked back a bit, but then he was hit by a twin flying kick from two Goku clones. She stood in place as the two boys had her surrounded. There was only one thing she could do now.

"You both are impressive, but this needs to end now." said Haku as she threw some hand signs together. She suddenly placed both hands on the ground as a dome enveloped them. The huge ice wall disappeared, revealing the full dome for all to see. Goku and Sasuke looked around as Haku walked towards one of the reflective points of the dome. She suddenly walked into the mirror.

All the mirrors had Haku in them. They all pulled out needles as they prepared to attack. "I offer you one last chance to surrender. After this, I will not hold back. You will die."

Goku and Sasuke stood back to back, a kunai drawn each.

"We never give up and we never surrender." said Goku as he twisted the blade. Sasuke nodded as he readied his blade. Haku sighed as hundreds of needles began to volley them. The boys were able to block most of them, but some either missed them entirely or scrapped right by them. Goku saw Haku start to step out of a mirror, and sent a ki blast her way.

The boy suddenly returned to the reflection, but the mirror exploded from his attack. Haku was shocked by the amount of force exerted by the attack. Goku felt good about that attack, till two needles struck him in the legs. He screamed as he fell to his knees.

"Goku!" shouted Sasuke as he checked on his friend. He suddenly threw a kunai at one of the mirrors, distracting Haku for a bit. "Are you alright?" Goku looked to Sasuke.

"I can't feel my legs." responded Goku. Sasuke growled as he tried to pull the needles.

"Pull them out wrong and he will never walk again." warned Haku. Sasuke lookedto one of the mirrors, where Haku was sticking out a tiny bit. "Give in and hand over the bridge builder, and I will properly remove them."

Sasuke found himself considering the offer, when Goku tugged at his shoulder. The boy looked to Haku with an angry face.

"I won't let Inari suffer from anymore loss." argued Goku. "Do your worst." Haku shook her head as he prepared another volley. Sasuke stood in between Haku and Goku. He wasn't about to lose the only family he had left.

'I won't let you take him!' thought Sasuke as the world started to move in slow motion. The attacks seemed to come all from the front in slow motion. Sasuke suddenly moved like lightning as he blocked every single attack that came at him. Haku stopped in surprise, not expecting such speed. She suddenly noticed something about Sasuke's eyes.

He had unlocked his sharingan. There were two tomes in his red iris. Haku watched as Sasuke quickly put together some hand signs.

"FIRE STYLE, PHEONIX FIRE BALL BARRAGE!" A volley of large fire balls came at the mirrors in front of him. Through the hole in the dome, Kakashi and Zabuza could clearly see the light from the attack. Kakashi turned to Zabuza. Both ninjas were impressed.

"The Uchiha awakened his sharingan." observed Zabuza. Kakashi nodded as Kurenai smirked.

"It would seem your ally has entered the lions den." replied Kakashi. They readied to return to battle. "He won't last long." Zabuza began to laugh as he readied his blade.

"You seem to be the one underestimating now Kakashi. Haku is a cold blooded killer. He has no weakness. I've formed him into the perfect weapon." He suddenly charged Kakashi. "I'll make sure you don't interfere so you can observe the bodies of your students lifeless on the ground!"

Kakashi scowled and created a group of shadow clones.

"That's assuming that you can stop me before I kill you." Kakashi used Zabuza's sword to propel himself behind the man. He threw a kunai at his back, but Zabuza quickly turned around and blocked the blade. He wasn't so lucky with the sudden ki blast to the back. He turned to see Sakura with her hand stretched out, but that's when Kakashi kicked his back in the same spot.

Tazuna suddenly got an idea as he grabbed Sakura's shoulder.

"Can you do the same thing the boy did?" asked Tazuna. Sakura gave him an understanding yet worried look.

"Yes, but..." began Sakura. Tazuna suddenly ran behind a large machine. Hinata and Shino quickly ran after him, trying to keep him from killing himself.

"Don't worry about me just do it child!" Sakura was hesitant, but she knew what had to be done. She squatted as she began to increase her energy. It quickly got to the visible point as she reached half of Goku's power in an instant. She pulled her power, lifting the vale of mist.

"Darn girl!" shouted Zabuza. "How many times are children gonna disperse my mist!?" Three Zabuza clones came at Sakura. She instinctively held her hand out and shot three ki blasts. All clones were hit, but Sakura turned to find a water shark hitting the machine Tazuna hid behind.

It was about to crush him, when a familiar green blur held the tipping machine.

"This is just as taxing as my regular training!" shouted Lee as Tazuna opened his eyes. Lee was effectively pushing the machine back into place. He watched as the machine returned to position, then kicked a water clone with all his might. "Please be more careful when you hide Tazuna-san." The bridge builder just nodded his head in shock.

Tenten unrolled a scroll as she prepared for battle. She suddenly squealed at the sight of the water clone, but not in fear. She suddenly swiped the weapon and took a closer look.

"I've never seen such detail and function in a sword before!" shouted Tenten. She was unaware of the clone trying to regain his sword. He suddenly set off a trip wire, however, and was flung away by a spring board. He fell into the forest behind them, where a huge explosion went off. Tenten voiced her disappointment as the weapon turned into a puddle on the ground.

Sasuke continued to block needles and volley fireballs at Haku. One of the mirrors finally cracked. Haku growled as she activated her kekei genkai once more. The mirrors were replaced in an instant. Haku looked at the two Konoha fighters, trying to formulate a plan.

'I can't get past the Uchiha's defenses.' thought Haku. She then got an idea as she looked to the saiyan. All reflections prepared for an assault. "You can't block all of these and save your friend." Sasuke looked around as the needles were suddenly thrown.

'There's one thing I can do.' thought Sasuke. He pushed Goku to where he was sprawled our on the ground. He screamed as all the needles pierced into him. Goku's eyes filled with horror.

"Sasuke?" asked Goku. Sasuke looked down to Goku, a broken smile on his face.

"My only regret, is that I didn't get revenge on my brother, or give peace to my family." Sasuke chuckled as he began to fall. "If I don't make it, take care of the others, and do what needs to be done to Itachi. Thank you for being the one thing I needed." Sasuke mumbled one last word before he hit the ground.

Haku stayed silent for a moment as she payed her respects.

"Is it you're first time losing friend?" asked Haku as Goku's head hung. "He stayed strong to the end. Sadly, it will all be in vain. Now it's your turn b..."

"He had a dream." interrupted Goku. Haku watched in shock as Goku removed the pins in his knees, despite the risk. He stood up, his legs spread out as his head bobbed up and down. "He wanted to find out why his brother ended their clan. And you..."

Goku lifted his head, revealing pure white eyes. "YOU TOOK IT ALL AWAY FROM HIM!" Goku's body sent out a shockwave as his power suddenly burst. The mirrors all shattered, with Haku standing right in front of the angry saiyan. All eyes turned to the event in shock.

Sakura covered her mouth at the condition of Sasuke. Zabuza actually took a step back in surprise. What was this kid? The aura radiating off the boy was immense. Haku suddenly doubled over as a punch was sent straight into her gut.

He almost regurgitated, but refrained from doing so. Goku suddenly began a barrage of punches and kicks. Haku was launched halfway across the incomplete bridge. Zabuza couldn't believe his eyes. Goku's Power only continued to rise as his white aura shined.

The boy turned to look at Zabuza. The demon felt the one thing he never thought would come into his mind. Fear, and loads of it. Goku charged straight at him while Haku tried to get up. His mask had fallen off, so one could see the horror on his face as Goku rammed Zabuza.

The demon tried to fight back, but the boy was too strong. His sword was batted away from him. Goku grabbed his arms and pulled from behind. Zabuza screamed in pain as Goku continued to pull. Haku reached out to the two.

"No please!" shouted Haku. Goku looked to the terror on the girl's face. He almost smirked. He pulled one of the arms tighter, making it come out of socket. Hinata just watched in disbelief.

The boy she knew seemed to be nonexistent, replaced by a monster she had never seen. His hair seemed to stand on end as he continued to hold Zabuza in the pin. Hinata couldn''t take it anymore when Goku started to chuckle.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Hinata. Goku flinched as he turned to her. Conflicting feelings overcame him as he stared into the tear filled eyes of his teammate. "Please Goku-kun, stop this madness." Goku loosened his grip as Sakura checked Sasuke's pulse.

She gasped as she turned to the carnage.

"Goku!" called Sakura. The boy looked to his friend, an inquisitive look on his face. There was hope in her eyes as her fingers rested on Sasuke's kneck. "He's alive. Sasuke's alive."

Goku's aura dropped as he heard those words. He let go of the swordsman as he flew over to his friend. Kakashi was in shock to say the least, and Kurenai still couldn't belive what she just witnessed. The boy had a terrifying side to him when enraged. He looked over as Haku helped Zabuza to his feet.

"That boy..." started Zabuza. "He's not natural! He shattered Haku's ice with a flex of his energy. How..." Zabuza suddenly felt himself be pushed away.

He turned to see a kunai strike Haku in the side. The terrors just kept coming as Zabuza stood up.

"It would seem that I hired the wrong group for the job." said a voice. All available eyes turned to see a short man in a business suit in front of a bunch of bandits.

"Gatō." growled Tazuna. Goku felt his rage return as he was face to face with the man who plagued Inari's village.

"In the flesh. Now, since you have failed to end the bridge builder, I'm afraid our contract is up. All of you should be prepared to die." Another bandit threw a kunai at Haku. Haku closed her eyes, prepared to go down for Zabuza's dream.

The pain never came, however. Confused Haku opened his eyes. They widened as Zabuza stood in front of her. The kunai was stuck in his chest. Another was in his working arm.

"Hatake." said Zabuza. "Rip these bandages off my face." Kakashi nodded, then did what his once enemy asked. Zabuza suddenly kicked a kunai in the air and caught the handle in his mouth.

Gatō suddenly ran through the bandits, fearing for his life.

"Protect me!" The bandits all readied for battle. Zabuza stabbed his way through the crowd. No matter how many blades stabbed him, he pushed forward. A few bandits backed up as they imagined a giant demon head coming at them.

"He really is a demon!" shouted a bandit as he tried to run away. Zabuza quickly struck him from behind as he made his was to Gatō. The man found himself at the edge of the unfinished bridge. Zabuza soon got through the crowd. He rushed at Gatō, who screamed.

Silence followed as the villain's throat was sliced. The man gasped as he fell into the river below. Zabuza, still holding the kunai in his mouth, stumbled towards the bandits. They all cleared a path as he made his way back to the group. Once through the bandits, Zabuza spat the kunai out of his mouth.

"Take me to him." ordered Zabuza. It was actually Goku who helped him reach Haku. The boy kneeled down as Zabuza was lowered to the ground. "Haku."

"I'm sorry Zabuza." apologized Haku as tears filled her eyes. "I failed my orders and couldn't protect you." Zabuza closed his eyes as he began to cough up blood.

"I guess I didn't do good enough as a ninja and your master. Here I am. Forsaking all of what I raised you for. I won't be able to see the day when Kiri becomes free of that tyrants mad laws. I won't be able to avenge those who lost their lives just because they were different."

Goku frowned at those words. He knew exactly what Zabuza meant by different. "Haku, I want you to see my dream fulfilled. Be there for when the people like you gain their freedom." Haku continued to cry as Zabuza looked away.

"Please don't leave me." Zabuza chuckled as Haku touched her forehead to his.

"I'm sorry to leave such a burden on you girl."

"She won't bare it alone." said Goku. The missing nin's eyes turned to the boy as Haku stood up. "I'll make sure that she lives to see that day." He pounded his chest with his left arm. "I'll stake my family name on it."

Zabuza looked to his sword, then returned his gaze to Goku.

"That's not enough for me brat. Grab my sword and bring it here." Goku looked to the weapon, then nodded. He held the sword as he returned to Zabuza. "I want you to take a swordsman's oath that you'll see my dream through, and that you'll have the girl and my blade with you when you achieve it."

Goku nodded his head. Holding the blade to his face.

"I won't let harm befall Haku, and your sword will be with me at all times." Zabuza smirked as he looked to the sky.

"I hope you're life will be better than mine Haku." Zabuza breathed out one last time as he closed his eyes. Haku wanted to scream to the sky, but Goku put his hand on her shoulder. She saw Goku's soft smile, then returned it in kind. One of the bandits took a step forward.

"You blokes think we're just gonna scatter since Gatō's dead?" asked the bandit.

"We might just ransack that village for all its valuables." said another. The crowd of bandits all sounded their agreement. Goku turned to them, sword at the ready.

"Then come and face us rat!" shouted a familiar voice. The group turned to see the villagers, all in make shift armor and carrying all sorts of objects. Inari readied the sword left for him. "We won't let you just take all we own. It's time to face justice!"

The villagers all shouted a war cry. Guy and Neji already entered positions. Goku smirked as he made a familiar hand sign. A large number of Goku clones appeared in their path. Kakashi followed suit, making more than his student.

The girls powered up, their auras flaring. Shino called his insects into a massive swarm as Kiba and Akamaru bared their teeth. Lee jumped between his teammates as Tenten readied her scroll. Kurenai pulled out a weapon with a blade that ran from the bottom of the handle to the top in an arch, extending a foot further. The weapon glowed as she took a battle stance.

The bandits screams could be heard throughout the land as the battle raged on. The village celebrated the victory hours into the night. Akamaru and Kiba played around with the younger kids, Sakura stayed with Sasuke to make sure he was taking it easy, Kurenai was eating sweets with Hinata, Gai and Lee decided to have a pushup contest with Neji as the unlucky referee, Tenten kept asking Goku if she could take a look at Zabuza's sword with no success, and Shino leaned up against a tree alongside Kakashi. Goku and Haku took time away from the party to stand by Zabuza's grave, but they too slightly enjoyed the festivities.

As per the mission details and due to Sasuke's injuries, the three teams stayed as the bridge was completed. Sasuke still had a cast on his leg, but he had Goku to hold him straight. Haku stood with the group, still sorry for her actions. Turns out, Haku was clear to come to Konoha and live out the type of life she wanted. Not surprisingly, she hopped to continue her shinobi career so she could still carry out Zabuza's dream.

The entire village gathered at the bridge to see them off.

"We wish you could stay a little longer, but we know that you have homes to return to." said Tazuna. "All we can do is wish you good luck on your travels." The group nodded, then turned to walk away. Inari fought his way to the front. He breathed in as they continued forward.

"Wait!" shouted the boy. The group stopped, and Goku turned to see him pull out his blade. "I'm going to become a great swordsman like Kaiza. When I've done that, I'm going to challenge you to a duel. Don't you dare get soft on me!"

Inari's mother was definitely worried over this sudden change in boldness, but he had to pick up something from the man he idolized. Goku smirked then turned his back to the boy. Zabuza's sword gleaned in the light.

"As long as I carry this dream, I can't afford to." replied Goku. Kurenai smiled at her student's words. "I can't wait to see you again." The group finally departed for Konohagakure. A thought crossed Tazuna's mind as he smiled.

"I think I have a name for this mighty bridge." One of the villagers turned to him. He watched as Goku pumped his fist into the air. "Kagayaku Kibō Bridge. Our shining hope."

 **This chapter is full of emotions no matter how you rewrite it. It remains the longest chapter of the story to date. I decided to make Haku a girl in the rewrite, having a few ideas that seemed too good to pass up. Also, the tail scene has shifted from Sakura to Hinata, the same words most likely to be said by the heiress.**

 **Anywho, do you like the changes made? What do you think of the story so far? Leave your thoughts in a review down below and I'll try to respond as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	11. Frying Pans and Heartfelt Confusion

**Back for more! Only three chapters remaining after this one until we're caught up. Before we begin, I just want to let you know that I will be continuing with the Naruto Chi Chi pairing place holder. I do, however, have a different pairing in mind for the blonde Jinchuriki. Anywho, let's answer some reviews (guests go in ascending order).**

 **Guest 1: Oh my dear reader. He's gonna receive painful lessons from the most powerful kunoichi.**

 **Guest 2: Glad you like Sakura's role so far. Hope your prepared for the big surprise about her when it's revealed.**

 **With all that out of the way, let's start the chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball.**

 _Time Branch 147, Near Frying Pan Mountain_

Naruto had the most curious group with him, matching the kind of group he'd find on the tv shows when he went into town. First there were two shapeshifting animals. The first was Oolong, a pig who could shapeshift into certain objects and creatures for a short amount of time. The second was Puar, a cat who could shapeshift into anything he wants as long as it's not too big but he can hold the transformation for as long as he wants. They might bicker from time to time, but they were getting better as time went on.

Then there were his two fellow humans. Bulma, heiress of the Capsule Corporation, was the brilliant bluenette who basically started the group. She definitely wasn't a fighter, but, being a scientist and inventor, she had a lot going for her in the group. Then there's Yamcha, a bandit who joined them for a very specific reason. To finally get over his fear of women, unaware that their objective could bring him closer than he thought this trip could get.

Naruto chuckled at the thought of his group. His companions really were something. He frowned as memories from a shadow clone filled his head. They were being followed by those two idiots again, but his genjutsu was a big help in throwing them off. They were following that tumbleweed for hours before the clone dispersed out of boredom.

He looked out the window of the mobile home as they entered a more grassy area. They must have finally left the desert. He took note of all the sights. A group of pterodactyls, some cute baby triceratops with their mothers, a girl running from a famished t-rex, a neat looking tree... Wait a minute?

He looked back to see a girl almost catching up to the vehicle, before turning left.

"STOP THIS DARN THING!" shouted Naruto in shock. Bulma hit the breaks as Naruto hopped out of the vehicle. The others ran out as Naruto took off after the girl. The girl continued to flee until she suddenly tripped. She looked up as its mouth widened, a fear filled expression plastered on her face.

A kunai suddenly struck the beast in the eye. It roared in pain as it tried to remove the weapon, but its puny, pathetic arms couldn't reach it. Naruto ran up its back and yanked the kunai out of his eye. Two clones suddenly ran by and carted the girl away. The t-rex was about to give chase, when an orange glow appeared behind it.

It turned to see the original Naruto preparing his signature attack. "NINE TAIL BARRAGE!" The beast gulped as the attack came flying at it. There was a huge explosion, making multiple creatures flee the area. Funny enough, a huge steak lay where the massive beast once stood.

The girl soon found herself unharmed and right next to the slab of meat. She looked over to see Naruto standing like a hero. His short blonde hair flowed through the wind as his headband worked like an extension. Her eyes went starry as he looked over to her. He hopped over to check on her.

"You alright?" The girl blushed at the blonde.

"Uh... y...yeah." answered the girl. Naruto looked around, making sure no enemies remained. The rest of the gang came by quickly, the bluenette of the group soon taking the lead. Bulma knelt down to check on the girl as Naruto backed away.

"Are you alright?" asked Bulma. Naruto gave her a thumbs up in confirmation.

"Already asked. She said she's fine." Bulma nodded to the ninja and turned back to the girl.

"You mind telling us your name Sweetie?" The girl was nervous and wary. She noticed her blonde hero didn't seem worried, so she just went for it.

"M...My name is Chi Chi." answered the girl. Bulma nodded.

"I'm Bulma." introduced Bulma. "That's Naruto. Over there are Yamcha, Puar and Oolong. Do you know where your parents are?" Chi Chi nodded.

She then pointed to the mountain in the distance.

"I live up there with my daddy." Bulma nodded. Yamcha sounded his concern.

"Uh... You guys realize that that's Frying Pan Mountain, right?" asked Yamcha. Bulma looked down at the radar.

"According to the radar, the dragon ball is there too." said Bulma. She snapped as she came up with an idea. "How about we give you a ride home since it's on our way?" Chi Chi was unsure. That was until she realized she'd get to travel with her savior.

"OKAY!" shouted Chi Chi as she pumped her fist in the air. Naruto flinched a tiny bit at the sudddn motion. He didn't show it, mind you. He had a very, very good reason to be wary. The blade on her pink helmet was of much concern to him.

They soon found themselves back on the road, making their way to the firry mountain. Bulma had given Chi Chi some clothes that didn't fit herself because she looked like she just came from a pool. Naruto found himself smiling at the raven haired girl as she took off the helmet, and put on a pink shirt with Bulma's name on it and shorts of the same color. The weapon was out of her reach, so it'd be easier to calm her down should there be a misunderstanding. He found that she was a very curious girl, if all the questions about his techniques were anything to go off of.

Bulma stopped as they reached the base of the mountain. Chi Chi was at the back of the group for her own safety. Naruto sent a clone to scout ahead, knowing full well the dangers of an unknown terrain. Chi Chi was still fascinated by just how well the boy could fight. Naruto stumbled a bit as he held his hands on his knees.

"What's wrong Naruto?" asked Puar. Naruto looked to the group.

"Something large got my shadow clone." answered Naruto, when a hardy laugh reached his ears. Chi Chi was about to run ahead when the blonde Jinchuriki looked to the group with a serious face. "Guys! You keep the girls safe while I deal with this giant!" Naruto ran ahead as the guys nodded.

He soon found himself looking at a large giant with a strange helmet. He noticed the giant pick up a large rock. He suddenly turned and threw it at the shinobi. Naruto jumped and used the rock for extra lift. He threw several kunai, but the giant used a huge sword to block the weapons.

When the giant moved his sword, he saw a swarm of Narutos falling towards him. He slashed his sword, destroying them all. Naruto stood on a nearby tree as the giant turned to him.

"You're tricks are no match for me intruder!" shouted the giant. "I rule this mountain! Leave now or face my wrath!" Naruto smirked as he pulled back his hand. He charged up a small ki blast as he held his nose.

"I should've smelt you coming from a mile away." mocked Naruto. The giant growled as he ran for the boy. Naruto threw his blast forward, causing the giant to dodge. Naruto jumped on him and started pulling his ears. He was taken by surprise, however, when the giant grabbed him and held him against the wall.

He really should've used a shadow clone.

"Let's see how you smell after I'm done with you." The giant was about to slash as Naruto closed his eyes.

"DADDY!" shouted an angry voice. Both fighters looked over to see Chi Chi piping mad. "PUT HIM DOWN!" The giant looked to Naruto, then looked to his new companion. This was her frickin father?!

"But Sweetie, he's an intruder." Chi Chi puffed her cheeks as she crossed her arms. "You know I can't just let someone trespass on my land."

"He saved me from a big mean dinosaur, and his friends gave me a ride home. Is that how we're supposed to treat guests? Well that's such a great example!" The giant flinched and dropped the blonde. Naruto groaned as the giant walked over to his daughter.

"Awe come on Chi Chi. You know how protective I've been ever since you were almost kidnapped by that fire spirit." Chi Chi just turned away from her father with a harrumph. The man sweat dropped as he turned to the blonde. "I'm very sorry, and thank you for bringing my little girl home."

Naruto was confused, but he was glad to have this fight over with. He had so much to work on in his ninja training. He grunted as he tried to stand up. He looked over to the giant as he continued to plead with his daughter. Yamcha ran over, then gasped in shock.

A scowl came to the giant's face, but then Chi Chi cleared her throat. He looked to her, then rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. After some explanations, Both parties had a better understanding of the situation. Turns out the giant, also known as the Ox King, was an overprotective father who had trust issues. The Ox King suddenly went into a deep respectful bow.

"I want to apologize again. I just couldn't stand the thought of what would become of my daughter." The group smiled as Bulma waved her hand in the air.

"A dad does what he can to protect his family." said Bulma, eliciting a grateful smile from the giant. She then remembered something. "Have you by chance seen an orange ball with a certain amount of stars in it?" She held her hand out as Naruto passed her one of the dragon balls. "It'll look kind of like this, but with a different amount of stars."

The Ox King recognized the orb immediately. His smile faded in realization.

"That's... gonna be a problem." Bulma tilted her head.

"Why?" The giant turned and pointed at the castle that was literally on fire.

"It's at the top of the castle, but the flames are so hot you can't get any close." Naruto snapped his fingers in frustration.

"If only I got Uncle Fu to teach me the Water Shark Bomb Jutsu." said Naruto. "This would be so easy." The Ox King shook his head.

"The only thing I know of that could put these flames out is a fan owned by the Turtle Hermit, Muten Roshi. You know he taught me all I know as a fighter." Naruto pondered the name.

"He wouldn't happen to go by Master Roshi would he?" The Ox King looked to Naruto. "Bald with a long beard. Wears a turtle shell."

"Are those just guesses or did you actually meet him?" Naruto and Bulma smirked at each other before returning their gaze to the Ox King.

"We've met him, but we don't exactly know where he lives." The Ox King pointed to the east.

"Just keep going east till you see a small pink house on a small island. You'll know it's it when you see the words 'Kame House' on the front." Naruto smirked as Bulma pulled out a capsule.

"You guys stay here. We'll be back soon!" The others waved as Bulma threw the capsule on the ground, a plane appearing in its place. "FLYING NIMBUS!" Naruto hopped on the cloud as Bulma took off in her plane.

The four men chuckled nervously, unsure of what to do. Yamcha cleared his throat as he looked to the giant.

"So... you're the Ox King." said Yamcha. The giant nodded.

"Yes, and you're the Not So Wanted Bandit of the Desert. I always wondered what you did for your wanted poster to say, 'If found, we'll pay you to keep him.'" Yamcha groaned as Puar patted him on the back.

 _Kame House_

Master Roshi rested in a lawn chair. He was still awaiting the day that Fu character returned to help him move. He looked to the sky, trying to decide what to bring with him. His face ran red at the promise of... He was brought out of his thoughts as a plane and a cloud moved towards his island.

"HEY OLD MAN TURTLE!" shouted Naruto. He hopped off the cloud as he walked over to the man. He received a huge bonk on the head from the old master.

"DIDN'T ANYONE TEACH YOU RESPECT FOR YOUR ELDERS!" shouted Master Roshi. He noticed Bulma walk over.

"Can you two argue later?" asked Bulma. "We need your special fan to put out the flames from Frying Pan Mountain." Master Roshi looked to Bulma with a serious face.

"Sounds like my student needs me. Alright then. Turtle, please bring me the fan." Turtle shook his head.

"You lost the fan at the casino to that one green haired girl." informed Turtle. "And you already gave your sister the spare for winning a bet." Master Roshi mused as he remembered those little details. He nodded his head as he turned to face the two teens.

"Then I'm comin' with ya." The two looked at him in surprise. "Watch the place while I'm gone Turtle." Bulma was about to retort, when Naruto hopped on the Nimbus. She groaned as she got in her plane.

When they arrived, the Ox King did an even deeper bow for the hermit.

"I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO COME IN PERSON MASTER ROSHI!" shouted the giant. "IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" The old hermit rubbed his temples, then turned to the castle.

"You're in quite the pickle aren't ya?" asked Master Roshi. He stroked his beard in thought. He suddenly got an idea. He held his hands back. "Everyone get back."

The Ox King recognized the position and began to usher people out of the way. Naruto recognized the move as well and ran to find cover, but kept his eye on the technique. The old hermit began to charge his energy. Naruto watched as the energy gathered between the hermit's hands. "KA...ME...HA...ME...HHHHAAAAAA!"

Master Roshi thrusted his hands forward, sending a large beam towards the castle. Bulma was suddenly sent backwards by the shockwave of the attack. She grabbed on to something as she tried not to go flying off the mountain. Yamcha squealed as Bulma clung tightly to his foot. When the attack dissipated, the entire castle was a pile of rubble.

"My castle!" Master Roshi rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Guess I overdid it a little. Sorry there." Chi Chi watched as Naruto scoped out the damage. She watched as he pulled the five star dragon ball from the rubble. She fell to her knees.

"Our castle." mumbled Chi Chi as she started to weep. "It's gone." Her father picked her up in his arms and wiped a tear from her eye.

"We can always rebuild a castle." said the Ox King. He looked to the group. "You all look like you could use some lunch. Why don't you stay at an inn at the nearby town for tonight, and we go get some grub." There was no complaint or refusal, especially from Naruto.

They were soon found eating at a dinner. There was a bit of shock due to the amount of ramen Naruto managed to put away, but it wasn't unusual. It definitely didn't turn away Chi Chi, who strongly favored the young blonde. When Naruto finally finished, he actually began to conversate with the girl. There were many things in his stories that got her attention, but there was one thing above them all in her mind.

Kunoichi. Strong female ninjas who could do just as good as any man could. One that really stood out to her was the Great Medic and Legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju. Knowing that a girl could get that strong lit a fire in Chi Chi's eyes. If they could do it, then why couldn't she?

The one thing, or rather one person, became clear to her when her father walked over.

"I think it's time we all get some rest." said the Ox King. "It's way past your bedtime Chi Chi." The girl frowned, but never the less conceded. She walked off with her father. She heard a multitude of farewells from the group.

"Night Chi-Hime!" shouted Naruto. Chi Chi smiled at the voice of her savior. In the hotel room, Chi Chi was looking into a mirror. She knew what she wanted to do. She just hopped her father would allow it.

She breathed in as she walked over to her father.

"Daddy?" asked Chi Chi. Her father turned to her with a smile on his face.

"What is it Sweetie?" asked the Ox King. Chi Chi looked to the floor.

"Is it okay if I go with the others on their journey?" Her father's eyes widened at the question. He was starting to panic.

"Why would you want to leave!?" Chi Chi looked him straight in the eyes. "Just this morning you were almost eaten by a dinosaur!"

"I want to get strong enough to protect myself and others, like the kunoichi from Naruto's story. I want to be able to take down enemies in one fell swoop, like you. If there are girls who can do just as much as guys, then why can't I do it?" The Ox King began to think that Naruto was trying to take his little girl away, but the boy showed no signs of any threat or that kind of attraction and Master Roshi trusted the boy. He still didn't want his baby girl to leave, mind you.

"I can easily teach you here if you want. I just can't see you leave." Chi Chi hugged her father's leg.

"I know you don't want to lose me like Mom. I barely even knew her. I want to be strong enough so that you don't have to worry about me as much." She also wanted to be around Naruto a little more, but that was a minor detail that the giant didn't need to know. The Ox King looked to the sky as he sighed.

"I can't talk you out of this can I?" Chi Chi looked up to her father, and nodded her head. His little girl was growing up too fast for his liking, but she was a teenager. "Alright, but I want you to make sure it's okay with them. If not, then I'll train you myself."

Chi Chi smiled as she jumped up and hugged her father around the neck.

"Thank you Daddy! I'll make you proud!" The Ox King smiled as he wrapped his arms around his little girl. Naruto was laying down in his bed for the night. He frowned as a memory came to him.

His shadow clone just spotted the two strangers heading over to the road to intercept them. That would be troublesome tomorrow. Naruto gained an odd feeling from that sentence, but shook it off as he got back to the task at hand. He made three more shadow clones as he sat up.

"I need you guys to either get those idiots away from the area or mess up their ambush." instructed the original Naruto. "Do whichever one is easier, or whichever one makes me laugh the most." The three clones nodded and took off. Naruto finally shut his eyes as he went to sleep. The next morning, he woke up chuckling.

All throughout breakfast, no one could explain the smile on the boy's face. Master Roshi was prepared to offer Naruto some training, having seen one of his training shadow clones use the Nine Tail Barrage technique last night. He was in his room, getting ready to return to his island. He grabbed at a bag of groceries and 'other things' that he purchased while he was there. A note suddenly fell from the bag.

He picked it up and began to read it.

'Dear Muten Roshi.' thought Master Roshi as he read in his head. 'I'm almost done with preparations. I will arrive to pick you up tomorrow, so please make sure you have everything you need for when I arrive. I wanted to talk with you in person yesterday, but I found myself needed elsewhere quickly, so I wrote this note. Hope to see you soon, Fu.'

He rubbed his temples in disappointment. The boy probably won't be finished with his adventure by then. That was going to cause him some problems. That meant that he wouldn't be able to train the boy, since he wouldn't be in the same place. It truly was sad to lose such a talented student, but he definitely thought the pros outweighed the cons.

Bulma lent a spare plane to the old geezer, who said his goodbyes and took off. Naruto quickly sealed all the dragon balls into the scroll. He put the scroll away as he finished packing. He placed his bag down, then his ear twitched as he heard a sound. He looked outside to see Chi Chi trying to keep them from heading out.

He walked out, causing her to come to a screeching halt.

"Wait!" shouted Chi Chi. The whole group was outside. Turns out, she rushed because she thought they were leaving when Naruto walked inside. She tried to catch her breath as she held her bag on her back. "Don't go yet."

"Need something Chi-Hime?" asked Naruto. The girl looked at him, then blushed at the twinkle of his sapphire eyes.

"I...uh... wantedtocomewithyoucanIplease?!" Naruto rubbed his head in confusion. Chi Chi breathed in, then started over. "I want to come with you." The group gave her surprised faces.

"Why do you want to come? What about your dad?" Chi Chi smiled.

"He's alright with it as long as you guys agree. I want to be strong like the kunoichi from your stories. What better way than to see the world? Can I please come with you, Naruto-sensei." Naruto blushed at that nickname.

A sensei though? That was kind of overwhelming. He looked to her father, wondering if he was really okay with this. The man was hesitant, but he had a hopeful pleading eye looking at Naruto as he nodded. This would be harder than any mission Uncle Fu could be on right now.

"Why not?" The group looked between the two. "Let me warn you that I'm genin level, so I'm not entirely versed in the shinobi arts. I'll do my best in spite of that fact." Chi Chi smiled as she wrapped the blonde in a hug.

Her father wasn't very pleased, but he could tell it was out of thanks. Bulma walked over and took Chi Chi to help her find a place in the mobile home to sleep. Naruto smirked as he hopped on the Nimbus. He looked back at the Ox King. The look in his eyes was all Naruto needed, and the boy gave the worried parent a thumbs up.

That seemed to appease the giant. Naruto was the first to take off. The others followed behind. A shadow clone appeared beside him with a 'teaching for dummies' book. He lay back as he began to read the book.

They soon approached the ambush area. Naruto took note of the lady and the dog preparing to blast them with a cannon. What they didn't know, is that the shadow clones rigged a little surprise. The canine ninja pointed to the oncoming RV.

"FIRE AT WILL!" shouted Shu as he pulled the string of the cannon. Instead of blasting the others to smithereens, the weapon took off into the distance. Mai and Shu looked down to see two long ropes tie around their ankles and tug. They looked to each other as they were pulled along by the makeshift rocket. Naruto burst into laughter as the rocket just kept on going.

He truly was a master of pranks. What he didn't know, was that Chi Chi saw the event unfold, and was just as humored.

 _Time Branch 149, Road to Konoha_

Goku looked at his sword as the group stopped for a break. He remembered the oath he took with the sword. He looked over to Haku, a frown still on his face. He had so many responsibilities, but it would be worth it to carry out the dreams of his sword's previous owner. The three Jonin caught the group's attention as they motioned for them to continue.

Goku couldn't stop glancing back at Hinata. His tail started to stretch out again, but he learned to control it by wrapping it around his own waist. He looked forward, his Uncle's words still fresh in his mind. He didn't want to mess up the team dynamic. What if she didn't even see him the same way?

He mentally shouted at himself as he returned his focus to the road ahead. This action didn't go unnoticed, however, as a certain Uchiha caught his sworn sibling trying to shake off the thoughts. Sasuke knew Goku well, so he knew that if Goku wanted you to help him, he'd ask. There was something different this time, however. The boy seemed to be putting distance between himself and the rest of his team.

"We've arrived." announced Kakashi. The group stopped as the Jonin walked up to the guards. They talked with them for a bit, then the guards opened the gates. Goku found it harder to break away from the group, especially since he had to be there to report to the Hokage. Sasuke decided to test something, and hung back a bit.

He noticed the boy's tail start to wiggle when there was nothing between him and Hinata. He knew Goku wasn't one to hide his tail from people. It was his pride as a Toyotomi. There was something amiss, but he couldn't quite figure out what. He got back into step as they reached the Hokage's office.

"Enter." said Hiruzen. Team 7, Team 8, Team 10 and Haku entered the room. Hiruzen was pleased to see them, but remained wary around Haku. "Mission report first. Team 8, since you were the ones to inform me of the complications of the mission, you go first."

Kurenai nodded to the Hokage as she and Kakashi stepped forward. She informed him on all the important parts of the mission from the first complication. Kakashi added Goku's recent acquirement and the full situation with Haku to the report. Hiruzen nodded, then turned to Haku. "I will get full details from you on the events that led you here today soon young lady."

Haku nodded as the Hokage motioned to Team 10. Guy stepped forward and gave his version of what went down as of his team's mission. The explanation made Kakashi and Neji groan, especially when 'Guy Junior' would add on to it. Hiruzen rubbed his temples, but he got the gist of the report. He cleared his throat as he looked to all present.

"Very well. You will receive the mission pay assigned to your teams. I will ask young Haku to stick around for a bit, but the rest of you are dismissed." All Konoha ninja bowed then exited the room. They all bid each other farewell, but Goku quickly broke away and flew to his Uncle's house.

He was about to just barge in, but he heard humming. He decided that it'd be best to knock. Aunt Anko was the one to open the door.

"Good to see you kid." greeted Anko. Goku smiled as he respectfully bow.

"Hey Aunt Anko." said Goku. "I'd love to chat, but I need to talk with Uncle Fu about something. Is he home right now?" Anko shook her head.

"He's not, but he should be soon. Come in kid." Goku nodded and walked in. He sat down on the couch as Anko began sharpening kunai. Anko looked over to him, then had a startled face.

"Is something wrong?" She pointed to him, or more specifically something behind him.

"WHERE THE HECK DID YOU GET SUCH A BIG SWORD!?" Goku pulled the large sword from its sheath.

"I got it during our mission. I made a swordsman's oath, so it won't leave my side until I see the goal complete." Anko shook her head, but she was smiling. Leave it to Goku to pick up a new object or technique and act so nonchalant when he surprises someone with it. The front door suddenly opened.

Uncle Fu came in, looking kind of swamped. Anko brought him some tea as he sat down.

"Thanks honey." said Fu. He downed the cup, then breathed in. "I really needed..." He received a huge bonk on the head.

"You're supposed to drink it slowly." said Anko with some annoyance in her tone. Fu sighed as he rubbed his head. Goku was confused since Aunt Anko was usually mellow.

"Sorry hun." Fu looked forward to see Goku. "Oh hey Sport! How was the mission?" Goku poked his fingers together as he tried to think of his words.

"Actually, something happened on the mission." replied Goku. "Can I talk with you about it for a bit?" Anko was getting in full on mother mode as she was about to interrogate him, but Fu held his hand up. He looked to her, as if telepathically speaking. She nodded and went back to sharpening kunai.

"So what's the deal Goku? You don't usually come to me with stuff like this." Goku sighed as he looked towards a pink flower.

"Remember what you told me about my clan and their tails?" Fu rubbed his chin.

"You mean what I told you after the training trip or..." He stopped as he noticed the loss of attention from Goku. The boy kept looking at a set of pearl earrings he had left. He had gotten them for Anko on their anniversary date while Goku was out on his mission. Fu had no idea why Goku would be so interested in...

Fu suddenly sounded his understanding. "You mean to tell me that your tail wrapped around someone." Goku shot up with a red face. "I think I can guess who." Fu walked over and grabbed the earrings.

Goku sighed in defeat as he looked to the side.

"Yeah." Anko dropped the sharpening stone and looked at the kunai.

"I told you didn't I?" Anko put her hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Goku doesn't need an 'I told you so' right now." scolded Anko. "He needs advice from his adorable Uncle." Fu chuckled as he kissed her hand. Goku sighed as he looked to the floor.

"Right. So how what's the help you need?"

"I don't even know if Hinata-chan likes me back." answered Goku, not even caring about the sudden honorific.

"Then just ask her." said Anko. Fu chuckled and gave her an agreeing nod. Goku's face, however was one of shock.

"I can't just ask her if she likes me! If she says no it might mess with the team dynamic!" Fu sounded his understanding.

"So you're thinking about this strategically." said Fu. "If you ask her out and she says no, then that might draw a wedge between you and her." Goku nodded his head.

"That's no reason not to ask her." said Anko as she pointed her blade at the saiyan "It shouldn't mess with your team dynamic if she says no." Fu sweat dropped once again. Anko definitely wasn't subtle. Goku still held the shocked expression.

"Do you realize how awkward this is for me!?" asked Goku. "I haven't felt this way about a girl before! What if she says no and her clan suddenly leaves Konoha forever or..." He was the next to receive a bonk on the head.

"Don't raise your voice at me." Goku rubbed the sore on his head as his aunt backed away. "If you keep this up too long, you'll be the only one driving a wedge between your team. You have to take this situation by the horns as soon as possible." Goku nodded his head, but he still felt the pain.

He said goodbye and left, but was still confused by the change in his aunt's attitude. He was glad to learn the next day that Haku was assigned to the chunin rank for his skills and put on a team that needed a spot filled. While Haku went out on a C-Class mission, Team 8 was back to D-Class chores. Goku didn't have a problem with this, mind you. He just kept a closer distance from the rest of his team.

This went on for a week. Kurenai said something that sounded important, but Goku actually didn't hear her. He was in deep thought over how he was going to ask Hinata if she liked him. It's not like he could walk up and ask "Hey Hinata, do you like me and think we're soulmates?" That's embarrassing and awkward!

The part he did hear was that they were dismissed. He decided to once again walk home on his own. He thought of all the ways he could ask, but they all seemed too embarrassing or weird. He looked up to take note of the Uchiha Compound. He walked past the front gate, when someone grabbed his tail and squeezed.

The boy blacked out, still not used to the squeeze. He could barely feel himself being hoisted on the attacker's back. He awakened when a bright light hit his face. Sasuke stood before him. Both boys had a stumped look.

"What's with you Sasuke!?" shouted Goku. He looked down to see himself tied to a chair by chains. Sasuke looked the boy over. He had already tried to dispel any genjutsu that could be effecting him or hiding the fact that he wasn't Goku. He shook his head.

"I could ask you the same." said Sasuke. "You've been distancing yourself from your team, the first day you took off in a hurry, and now you act different around the Hyuga girl. You're not under a genjutsu, so what's your deal?" Goku sighed. He didn't want to ask like this.

"What's your opinion on love?" Sasuke was taken aback by this question. He composed himself, however, because it could be a trick question.

"Depends on the meaning. Do you mean love as in friendship or the village?" Goku shook his head.

"Like, past friendship. The kind you'd have for family or... someone special." Sasuke kept a straight face. This was a question a good bit of people asked him about his fan girls.

"I guess when you love someone like that you can see them with you for the rest of your life. That's how I feel about you and the kids." Goku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Sasuke caught this. "You?"

Goku rubbed his foot across the ground. His face was a little red. Goku started several sentences, but never finished them. The Uchiha put two and two together. "So you like Hinata that way huh?"

Goku chuckled awkwardly.

"Don't know when it happened. I only noticed when my tail wrapped around her waist black at Tazuna's. Ever since it's been repeatedly trying to wrap around her. Uncle Fu said that it'll only do that once I've fallen for someone and, well here we are now." Goku looked down.

Sasuke understood both meanings of the gesture. He unchained his sworn brother from the chair, and unfurled a scroll. The large sword popped out, and Goku quickly returned it to its sheath. The boys looked to each other. "Well now all that's left is to ask her out."

Goku went to leave, but Sasuke held up his hand.

"It'd be best to wait till after the Chunin Exams, or did your sensei not tell you about the upcoming Chunin exams?" Goku rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "The exams are basically a competition where ninja work their butts off to go from genin to chunin as the name implies." Goku's eyes sparkled at the concept of a tournament.

"I wish I heard Kurenai-sensei the first time!" Goku raised his fist into the air. "Let's do our best!" shouted Goku. Unknown to them, pleased eyes watched them talk on. Meanwhile, with Hinata, she was facing her own pandemic.

She had found a note from Goku, telling her to meet him at the training ground. She was hesitant, knowing Goku would usually just ask someone to meet him somewhere or get to the point right then and there. It must've been important if he was being so secretive. She soon arrived at the area to find Goku standing in the middle of the field.

"I..is everything okay G...Goku-kun?" asked Hinata as the boy turned to her.

"Hinata, the exams are too dangerous." said Goku, causing Hinata to take a few steps back. "I don't want you getting hurt. If something happened to you I..." He suddenly gasped as he fell to the ground.

Hinata was frozen with fear as two kunai rested in the saiyan's back. She was about to scream, when something felt off. She clenched her fist as an unknown ninja hopped in front of the body of her crush.

"If you enter the Chunin exams, you will meet the same fate." said the assailant. He was about to continue, when a ki blast hit a tree behind him, splitting it in half.

"Why did you have to do this Iruka-sensei?" asked Hinata. "Why did you have to play with my feelings?"

"I am not your sensei, and he will not be here to save y..." Five more ki blasts split the same amount of trees.

"You're energy's the biggest telltale sensei. Now answer the question." Iruka noticed the tear running down Hinata's face, then sighed as he gave in. He returned to normal in a puff of smoke.

"I'm sorry Hinata." apologized the Chunin as the fake body of Goku dissipated. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just testing you to make sure you were ready to take on the Chunin Exams. I guess training with the Nisekuma school brought up your sensory capabilities."

"That wasn't even the first clue." Iruka raised his brow at the girl. "You messed up when you made Goku not believe in me. I know he has more faith in me than that, and I'm not about to disappoint him now." Iruka smiled as he nodded his head.

"Glad to hear it, and I'm sorry for going too far." Iruka disappeared via the body flicker technique. Hinata looked up into the sky, the events replaying over and over again. She wondered what she would ever do if something actually happened to the saiyan.

 _"You're the strongest girl I know Hinata."_ said Goku in the heiresses memories. She smiled at the memory. If Goku believed in her, then what did she have to lose? She remembered that one moment from the same day. She could still feel the warmth of his tail around her waist.

She held her arms as she reminisced the feeling. It was so warm and inviting, and the memory brought a huge smile to her face. Her night shirt had lifted a little, so she could feel every hair. It wasn't annoying, mind you, but she kept going back to those first two feelings. They were really key traits of the boy.

That's probably why she liked the boy so much. She sighed, remembering how dense Goku could be. Does he even know she likes him? The honorific should've been a hint, intentional or not. She continued to think over the subject as she moved on.

Meanwhile, on a nearby roof, Kakashi read a book until Iruka appeared beside him.

"Your verdict?" asked Kakashi as he closed his book.

"You were right. All my students are ready for this. I was a little worried about Kiba, but he proved he could handle it." Kakashi nodded at the fellow Jonin. Only time would tell what the exams would bring.

Iruka suddenly jerked as he slowly turned. Kurenai stood before him, her signature blade in her hand.

"I'm glad you agree with me." said Kurenai. She grabbed him by the back of his hair before he could run away. She quickly pulled back her leg. "Now then, DON'T MESS WITH MY GENINS' FEELINGS EVER AGAIN!!!!" Iruka's pained scream could be heard through the night.

Meanwhile, at Konoha's gates, Fu Nisekuma and Caliban Kurosagi stood in wait. They weren't on guard duty, but they were waiting for a specific person. Suddenly, a man with long, spiky white hair approached them. Red lines ran from the bottom of his eyes down his face. He wore a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armour that is visible at his wrists and ankles.

He also wore hand guards, a black belt, traditional wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. He often carried a large scroll on his back, and had a tattoo on his left palm, and he wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for "oil." He looked between the two men. He was wary since they could easily be regular guards. Fu was the first to step forward.

"The lily flows from the mouth of the waterfall." said Fu. The man breathed in a sigh of relief.

"It's descent is slowed by the wind's will." responded the man. Fu nodded his head.

"I thank you again Jiraiya-sama for deciding to take Naruto under your wing. It's probably been hard for him since his adopted grandfather passed." The man, now known as Jiraiya, smiled.

"Would I be a good godfather if I didn't take the opportunity to take care of him and have my spy network in tact?" Caliban stepped forward this time.

"It also has nothing to do with the promise of 'research.'" scoffed Caliban. Jiraiya looked to the saiyan with a look of hurt and betrayal. "Let's just get this over with." Jiraiya handed Caliban the contacts for his spy network, and the man sped off. Fu shrugged as he led Jiraiya away from the village.

Jiraiya was then blinded by a strange light. He soon found himself on Mount Myōboku, the place where he trained with the ninja toad clan. There was something off, however. The whole land was surrounded by a vast ocean. He looked out into the distance.

He saw a small island with a pink house on it fade into existence. He was wary as an old man wearing a purple turtle shell walked up the shore. Fu walked over to the old man.

"Good to see you again Muten Roshi." greeted Fu. "You are just in time to see the new land that will take residence of this area." Both Jiraiya and Master Roshi were stunned.

"This whole mountain is going to take the place of my island?" asked Master Roshi. Jiraiya walked over, one of the ninja frogs on his shoulder. "I'm being replaced with a frog man?" Jiraiya took great offense to that comment.

"I'll have you know that I am one of the legendary Sannin and a..." started Jiraiya before Fu cut him off.

"Could you not pronounce that last one to the whole world?" asked Fu. Jiraiya groaned, but nodded. Fu clapped his hands together. "I can see some tension in the air, so why don't we have a little spar to show that you're respected territories are in good hands?" Jiraiya and Master Roshi looked to the young Nisekuma, but then nodded.

Soon they stood across from each other. Both in their respective stances. There were only two rules to this spar. No outside objects and ring out only since they were near the water. The first rule put a handicap on Jiraiya, but he was sure he could manage.

Fu suddenly lowered his arm, and the two elders met halfway in a clash. Master Roshi took note of his opponent's strength and size. He was not going to win a push battle, so he hopped back and prepared to attack. He came at the old man with a barrage of punches and kicks. Jiraiya was able to block each and every attack, except for the last punch to the face.

Jiraiya reeled for a bit, before catching himself quite literally. He quickly went in for a combination, but was caught by an uppercut from the Turtle Hermit. He was sent reeling, but he went up in smoke as a log tumbled across the ground. Master Roshi turned to block a hard kick from Jiraiya. Master Roshi only saw the technique the sage used once.

This man was a shinobi, like Son Naruto. He decided to hold nothing back. He held his hands backwards as he began to bulk up. Jiraiya caught on and pulled together his technique. He put one of his hands behind him and used the other to push chakra into it.

Both suddenly had a ball of their respective mastered energy. Two moves that were purely energy, waiting to be unleashed. The old men locked eyes as their attacks charged.

"KA...ME...HA...ME..." started the Turtle Hermit as the ball grew larger. Jiraiya suddenly rushed forward, the sphere still in his hand. He thrust it forward as he got in range.

"RASENGAN!" shouted the Toad Sage. Master Roshi also thrusted his hands forward.

"HHAAAAAAAA!" The beam shot forward, clashing with the orb. Large pulses were sent across the sky, seeming to stop at a barrier made by Fu. There was a large explosion as the attacks burnt out. Both men panted as the smoke cleared.

Fu clapped his hands together once more.

"Let's call it a draw shall we men?" asked Fu. "It's getting late and I really need to finish this up properly." Both men reluctantly agreed. Master Roshi and Fu returned to Kame House as it began to disappear. Jiraiya looked at the piece of paper in his hands.

It was a map leading to what seemed to be a small town. He sighed as the two men and the island disappeared completely. He quickly made his way to the indicated location. He imagined how similar Naruto would be to his father. He shook off the thought as he continued on his way.

"I'm coming Gaki." said Jiraiya as he looked over the horizon. Mai and Shu flew overhead as the rocket had went airborne. They weren't getting down any time soon.

"I HATE KIDS!" shouted Mai. Shu nodded his head.

"I'M STARTING TO THINK THAT WE NEED A NEW LINE OF WORK!" shouted Shu as Mai kicked him in the head.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF!" shouted both lackeys.

 **That reference gets me every time. As you can tell, I'm going with the motherly Kurenai, and poor Iruka might not survive the night. Now, instead of Goku having to worry about if Sakura likes him more than Sasuke, he just have to worry about if Hinata even likes him like that. That's the exact same problem Hinata is facing, making the irony so sweet. Bare with me as we slowly get to where the original left off.**

 **Did you like the changes made to the chapter? What do you think of the peal earrings reminding Goku of Hinata? Will Iruka survive Kurenai's wrath? Leave your opinions in a review down below and I'll try to respong as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	12. Fox vs Rabbit, A Tale of Two Tails

**Two chapters. That's all we got after this. Then it will be on to brand new chapters with new content for us. The changes are gonna be coming in more and more as we get closer to the place the original left off. Without further ado, let's move on with the chapter.**

 **I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball. I do own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Time Branch 147, Town in Diablo Dessert_

Naruto and friends stopped in a peaceful town as they desperately needed gas. The group had split up to do their own things. Oolong and Puar stayed with Yamcha as he pumped the mobile home full of gas, Bulma took Chi Chi with her to shop for clothes, and Naruto left to grab some much needed supplies. Naruto had just finished paying for groceries as he made way to the mobile home. He suddenly sneezed.

"Someone's mentioned me." said Naruto as he wiped his nose.

 **"You've become kinda famous in the last two towns Kit."** said Kurama. **"There's probably loads of people talking about you and your company."** Naruto nodded as he passed by two weirdly dressed men. He stopped and glanced behind him. The two men were wearing rabbit ears, which already sent a weird vibe at Naruto, but one of them was definitely concealing a weapon.

He watched as they walked into the clothing store Bulma and Chi Chi were in. Speaking of, Chi Chi was posing in a pink dress with a purple sash around her waist and shoes of the same color. Bulma clapped and nodded in approval.

"That's the best one yet." complemented Bulma. The blunette was carrying a few outfits with her already, both for her and the princess. Chi Chi smiled as Bulma handed her the last outfit.

"Thanks Ms. Bulma." Bulma chuckled as the girl closed the door to the changing room. She honestly liked having another girl to go shopping with. Guys just don't appreciate how much work girls put into finding the right outfit for the right occasion. The door opened as Chi Chi finished putting on the outfit.

She wore a blue cheongsam with red pants, armband, and shoes, white socks and a red sash. Bulma's smile widened at the look of the outfit.

"It's perfect!" shouted Bulma. "It definitely suits you, and it will be perfect for a certain blonde." Chi Chi blushed as she shook her head.

"What? I don't..." Bulma just laughed in response. The door to the shop suddenly broke as the two guys Naruto spotted entered the building.

"Alright!" shouted one of the men. "This is a robbery! I'm pretty sure you remember how that works!" The second one held a gun to the cashier.

"Hand over all the money, and no one gets hurt!" shouted the robber as the cashier opened the register. The first one walked among the crowd, then spotted Bulma. She motioned to Chi Chi with her eyes, but the girl didn't understand.

"Well ain't you a pertty thing? Looks like you'll be coming back with me." The man reached for Bulma, but she quickly drew a gun from her purse, causing the man to back off. He then drew his own gun, but then spotted Chi Chi.

The girl understood too late as the man pointed his gun at her. "Shoot me and the girl gets it. That door won't be able to save her." Bulma growled, but before she could do anything, the second one hit her in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. The first one broke the door down as he grabbed the small girl.

Chi Chi struggled as she tried to break free from the attacker's grasp. The bandits made it outside, when a kunai slashed the first one's leg. He screamed in pain as he dropped Chi Chi. The second one looked on in surprise as the girl tried to run away. He aimed his gun, only to be whacked in the side by the Power Pole.

The raven haired girl turned to see Naruto in a battle stance. The second one quickly stood up and grabbed Bulma. He held a gun to her head, but she felt kind of squishy. He looked at her, only to see it was a dummy. Said dummy suddenly exploded, sending the man into a nearby window.

The first one pointed his gun at Chi Chi.

"Make one more move, and I shoot!" Naruto smirked in response. He ran towards Chi Chi as the goon shot the weapon. The only thing he hit was a log with a tongue painted on it. He noticed the group of Naruto surround him.

All of them carried evil looks as they prepared their weapons. He aimed his gun, but it was whacked out of his hand. He chuckled as the clones encircled him. "Is it too late for an apology?" The answer was clear as day when the clones started pummeling him.

They were so busy that none of them noticed the second goon run off in fear. By the time they noticed, it was too late and they had an unconscious Bulma to deal with. The original groaned as he returned to the group with Yamcha and the others.

"Did you guys seriously let the other one get away?" asked Naruto. He got his answer when most of the clones dissipated. He growled as the police came by. After some explaining and some eye witness accounts, Naruto and the others made their way to a hospital. Chi Chi and Naruto didn't leave her side, and Yamcha tried to stay in the room, but kept his distance.

The doctor came in, a smile forming on his face.

"I need a moment alone to assess Mr. Briefs' condition." The group understood and made their way out of the room. Naruto looked down the hall. He somehow felt that it was his fault Bulma was in this condition. He could've easily stopped them in the store, but he needed to deal with them when less civilians were in firing range. It didn't help they were gutless losers who thought kidnaping women and children was a good idea.

Chi Chi picked up on Naruto's emotions, and looked to him.

"Are you alright Naruto-Sensei?" asked Chi Chi. Naruto looked to the princess with a false smile.

"I'm fine Chi-Hime." said Naruto. "Just... feeling responsible for all this." The raven haired girl harrumphed as she stood up.

"How is any of this your fault? You didn't know those jerks were gonna try to steal money." Naruto sighed.

"Actually, I saw them go into the store, and knew one of them had a weapon hidden. I couldn't engage them where people would get hurt, but they ended up hurting Bulma anyway." Chi Chi softly smiled as she sat back down beside the blonde Jinchuriki.

"At least you tried to save us. All the other people in the store just watched as they took us. I'm pretty sure we'd be in a bad place if you didn't stop those guys." Chi Chi pulled the blonde into a hug from behind. Naruto smiled at the sympathy.

Chi Chi let go and stood up once again, planning to take a walk. "OH CRAP!" Naruto jerked as he looked to the girl. She was pulling the on the sides of the outfit. "WE NEVER PAYED FOR THESE!"

Naruto sighed his relief at the small detail. He noticed the new outfit, but he had thought it was already part of her wardrobe. Suddenly, Puar and Oolong came into the hallway.

"Guys!" shouted Puar. All humans turned their attention to him. "We've got big trouble!" They found themselves at the police station, where the first goon was freaking out.

"What the heck?" asked Naruto. Oolong looked to the group as they had shocked faces.

"I managed to scare the heck out of him." said Oolong. "He started shouting that his boss was coming to bust him out. I managed to get how much time we have and a lot of other important details out of him before I scared him with his worst fear."

"NO MORE RATS!" shouted the first goon as he tried to comfort himself. Oolong returned his gaze to the others as the prisoner repeatedly mumbled his words.

"Anyway, we have a couple of hours before they get here, and we have to make sure his boss doesn't touch us with his hands. That's as far as I got on that part." Naruto looked between Oolong and the goon.

"You know a shinobi village would love to have you in T and I?" asked Naruto. Oolong just shrugged as Yamcha began to talk strategy. Naruto was listening in, but Chi Chi was noticeably missing. We find her outside with Naruto, walking a bit into the desert. "Now would be as good a time as ever to start on your training Chi-hime."

"Shouldn't we be back with the others planning?" asked the concerned princess. Naruto waved her off.

"I left a shadow clone to listen in and give my opinion, so we should be fine." Naruto sat down in a meditative position, and Chi Chi tried to follow. Once she was correctly in position, Naruto carefully thought of where to start. An idea suddenly hit him as he held his hands over each other. "Now then, let's start with something simple."

Chi Chi nodded. Naruto quietly charged his energy, making a small blue sphere in his hands. Chi Chi marveled at it and got in closer. This was awkward for Naruto, since she was basically leaning in close to him. He cleared his throat, and the girl quickly returned to her position.

Naruto looked down at the ball. "This is the physical aspect of the energy that flows through all things. It's called ki. It's the easiest to control, but hardest to master. Not many can work with ki on its own, and have to go straight for the full package."

Chi Chi nodded as she got her hands into position. This was going along pretty fast for Naruto, so he was kind of hesitant to move forward. "Okay, you've got your hands in the right position, so now all you need to do is pull the energy from deep within you and force it into the palm of your hand. Let it flow like a river on a mountain." Chi Chi smiled as she tried to concentrate.

Surprisingly to both of them, a spark started to appear above her hand. She added a little more energy. "WAIT!" It was too late as the spark exploded, causing both of them to be covered in ashes. "You made the river go too fast for just starting out on that exercise. Try slowing the flow just a little bit."

"My bad." They soon found themselves trying again, Chi Chi being a little more careful this time around. She soon found herself able to make a smaller version of the orb, causing her to celebrate. "I'm doing it!" Naruto hopped to his feet as the blue orb floated above her hands.

"That's it!" Both of them were so excited, it made Chi Chi push more into the sphere, causing another explosion. Both kids looked at each other, then they started laughing. Chi Chi jumped over to Naruto in excitement, and he almost instinctually grabbed her and spun around. Both felt extremely embarrassed and turned away with a blush.

"I say, that was rather impressive." said a strange voice. Naruto reached for his kunai as he and Chi Chi slowly turned to meet a strange old man. The old man was cloaked, but that didn't stop them from seeing his jaw. "You make a great teacher Gaki." Naruto smirked, but kept his wariness.

"Who are you?" asked Naruto. The old man wasn't surprised by the boy's question.

"Let's just say I'm a man who knows talent when I see it. You both have a lot of potential from what I just saw." The man walked past them, then turned his gaze back. "I hope to see you two again soon." The man walked off, entering the town.

Naruto would've sent a clone to spy on him, but the clone he left back at the prison suddenly dissipated.

"Looks like we'll have to deal with that guy later. The plan's all set and a black limo is on its way to the town. Judging by the fact that they shot my clone, it's them." Chi Chi nodded, then they returned to the town. Once they arrived, Chi Chi was sent to make sure they couldn't get to Bulma.

The group stood at the ready, prepared to face off against the oncoming threat. Naruto twirled his pole as the limo came into view. It soon approached, skidding to a stop as it parallel parked in the street. The back door opened, revealing a well dressed humanoid rabbit. It was huge, and wore sunglasses over its eyes.

The second goon came out the other side, then pointed at Naruto.

"That's 'im boss!" shouted the goon. "He was the one who beat us up and caught Jerry! That 'ne's a freaking monster!" The large rabbit tsked as he looked to the group. He suddenly held out his hand.

"Sorry for all the trouble my boys have caused." apologized the rabbit. "Let's let bygones be bygones an' I'll take that rascal back for some severe punishment. What do ya say boys?" The group tightened their forms as Oolong took a deep breath.

"We know all about your magic powers Twitchy Nose!" shouted Oolong. Naruto mentally slapped himself as the pig continued on. "We know you turn people into something when you touch them with your hands! We aren't going to fall for that any time soon!" Naruto had planned to let a shadow clone take the fall and find out what exactly his magic turns people into, but the porker had to just shout it out. The rabbit man sighed as he reached behind himself.

"Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way then." The large rabbit suddenly pulled out a semiauto and pointed it at them. He then began raining fire upon them as the gang member carefully tried to aim for one of them with his pistol. The goon caught Oolong in his sights, when Naruto knocked the gun out of his hands. The boy kicked the man away, sending him flying into another window.

The rabbit turned and leaned over the limo. He was able to poke the boy. Naruto gasped in shock before turning into a small carrot. The rabbit laughed as he picked up the vegetable. The others were shocked with fear as the rabbit ate the boy.

He smacked his lips, but then he burped out smoke. Another Naruto whacked him through the limo's front window with the Power Pole.

"THAT IS SO MESSED UP!" shouted Naruto. "HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT!?" The rabbit didn't have time to give an answer, however, as Naruto continued to assault him with the pole. Yamcha suddenly noticed the second goon running for the hospital. He quickly ran after him, trying to reach him before he found Bulma and Chi Chi.

Speaking of, the two girls were actually talking within the hospital room. Chi Chi had taken to making sure Bulma was already ready for the worst case, but she made sure that nothing would make the teen panic. Surprisingly enough, however, Bulma was actually very well prepared, even having a capsule in her purse that held a more powerful machine gun. Their current conversation had nothing to do with the current events, funny enough.

"It's totally fine that you haven't returned the outfit yet." said Bulma. "It's to be expected with all that happened. You're gonna be just fine." Chi Chi sighed her relief. She thought that she was in a lot of trouble.

"That's a relief." replied Chi Chi. "I'd hate to cause trouble for everyone." Bulma gave her a devious smile.

"So, was I right about a certain blonde liking your outfit?" Chi Chi looked down in disappointment.

"I think with all the bad stuff going on, he hasn't taken notice yet." Bulma nodded with a sigh. They heard what sounded like a door being slammed open down the hall. Bulma opened the capsule and prepared the gun. A lady in the room right next door screamed as her door was the next knocked down.

Their door began to budge as someone tried to break it down. They prepared for the worst, when they heard a croaking noise below them. The door broke apart as the second goon entered the room.

"Time's up guyls!" shouted the goon. "Ya now belong to da Rabbit..." A large toad suddenly jumped at him and landed on his head. He screamed as he dropped his gun and tried to pull it off. The toad suddenly pulled out a small war fan.

"MT. MYOBOKU FOREVER!" shouted the young male toad as he began to whack the goon with the small weapon. The goon ran into walls, trying to get the toad off him. The toad even spat oil in the man's face, eliciting more pain filled screams from the mobster.

"Get of me ya Frogger!" A familiar cloaked man suddenly stood in front of him as he threw the toad off. He rubbed his eyes, only for the man's cocked back fist to be the first thing he sees.

"He's actually a toad." said the man before he knocked the goon out with a punch. Chi Chi and Bulma walked out of the room, and the man eyed Bulma since she was in a hospital gown. She suddenly aimed the gun, fully aware what he was thinking. "WHOA! Let's not go too far little lady."

"Who the heck are you!?" asked Bulma. The man grabbed his chin as he leaned in closer.

"We can discuss it over dinner sometime if you..." The bluenette cocked the gun. "Alright! Tough crowds even in a new place." The man turned around, a serious look plastered on his face. "The others may need some help down there."

Which was partially true. The boss of the gang had begun using two firearms instead of one, making things more difficult despite all logic. Naruto spun the Power Pole as he tried to get closer. Puar suddenly flew overhead, somehow going unnoticed. He turned into an anvil, and fell from the sky.

He not only smashed one of the guns, but he ended up squashing the rabbit's foot. The boss screamed as Puar hopped off. He dropped the second gun and grabbed his foot. That left him wide open for another attack from the Power Pole. He found himself on the ground, with all three remaining fighters standing before him.

"You think you can just make a mockery of me!?" shouted the rabbit mobster. "One touch and you're my lunch!" The group was fully aware of this, and Oolong pulled out a pair of mittens. The man looked around, then noticed Bulma and Chi Chi running towards the group.

"Stay back!" shouted Naruto. The rabbit took the opportunity to run at them. He went straight into full on hopping as he stretched his hands out. Bulma had her gun at the ready, but the rabbit was too close. The girls closed their eyes as the rabbit almost poked them.

Chi Chi spared a glance, only to scream in terror. Naruto had jumped in between her and the mobster, the hand that reached for Bulma too out of reach to truly get her before she could back up. Naruto suddenly turned into a carrot. Shadow clones in the area dissipated all at once. Seeing this, the mobster laughed once again.

"I think I've found your one weakness little shinobi. Now you're gonna end up in my belly!" Chi Chi was scared as the rabbit lifted Naruto above his head. A memory of Naruto's smiling face flashed through her head, and she gained an angry scowl. She picked up a kunai dropped by Naruto, and prepared to attack. "One false move and you'll get to join him brat."

The girl, of course, didn't listen and stabbed the hand that was held up in front of her. The rabbit screamed as he dropped the boy/carrot. "Why you!" He reaches out another hand, only for it to be grabbed by the stranger. His hood fell, revealing himself as a certain toad sage.

"You got me upset when you sent a goon after innocent children." said Jiraiya. His eyes turned into those of a frog. "You made me mad when you tried to eat my godson!" The rabbit screamed as the shinobi crushed his wrist. He hopped away, but ended up backing into a clone of the sage.

He kicked the rabbit forward, making him fall in front of the carrot. Jiraiya grabbed his ears and stepped on his back. He pulled on the ears, and held a kunai to the mobster's kneck. "Change him back or I'll end you now." The rabbit felt fear as he repeatedly poked the vegetable, before being pulled away.

Naruto found himself back to normal as the whole ordeal was still going on.

"Got you!" The rabbit was about to attack, when he was smacked in the forehead. He poked Jiraiya, but nothing happened. "What did you do to me ya darn frogman!?" Jiraiya poked a seal that he placed on the rabbit.

"I placed a seal on your head." explained the sage. "You won't be able to use your little trick anymore, and for the last time I'M A TOAD SAGE!" The rabbit tried to rub the seal off, but it showed no signs of leaving. In an interesting turn of events, Bulma ended up hitting the mob leader in the back of the head with the butt of her gun. The rest of the group was still too stunned by all that just occurred, but Chi Chi didn't care as she ran over and engulfed Naruto in a hug.

"You're alive!" shouted Chi Chi. Naruto was surprised by the hug, but let it continue on. He soon rose from his spot on the ground, then turned to the older shinobi.

"You look so much like your old man." Naruto was confused by the man's words, making him only more wary.

"Who the heck are you?" Bulma walked over to Naruto.

"Jiraiya, the toad sage, one of the Legendary Sannin and a..." Naruto suddenly had stars in his eyes as he stood before the sage.

"ONE OF THE THREE LEGENDARY SANNIN OF KONOHAGAKURE!?" Jiraiya groaned at being interrupted again but nodded none the less. "AWESOME! Is it true you guys broke up? How come you smell like oil?"

These questions were followed by many others as the ninja continued to fanboy over the sannin. The others were still confused, when there was a sudden disturbance. Two loud grumbling sounds filled the air. The group looked around in worry, until their eyes met the stomachs of the two shinobi. They both chuckled as they received knowing looks.

The whole town was actually in celebration. Turns out, those losers they fought were causing the people a lot of trouble. There were a bunch of people dancing, eating, and even making fools of themselves. Some people began hanging banners of foxes and other things representing the group. Looks like they had become famous in yet another town, but that wasn't anything to them, however, as they were too focused on joining the celebration.

The girls ended up going to the shop to try and pay for the outfits they grabbed, but the shop owner told them they could keep some since they went through so much. Although, Bulma still had to pay for some of hers because she grabbed a lot. After that, they tried to find the others and join the celebration. Oolong could be found at an apple barrel contest, some people trying very hard not to stare when he finally got one; Yamcha was found telling the stories of their adventures to a group of kids and men with Puar giving emphasis, though Yamcha became slightly skittish whenever a girl came around; and Naruto could be seen having a ramen eating contest with Jiraiya. The girls looked to each other and smiled, before heading off in different directions.

Yamcha had finished one of the over exaggerated stories since too many girls were starting to gather around. He quickly got up and went to leave, but then he bumped into someone. He almost freaked when he saw Bulma so close to him, but he decided to try and play it cool. He backed up and rubbed the back of his head. So far so good.

"S...sorry there B...Bulma." apologized Yamcha. "S...should've been looking where I was going." Bulma waved him off.

"No it's fine." reassured Bulma. Yamcha felt like squealing in fear, but he was actually talking to a girl. Bulma looked at the face of the handsome bandit. She smiled as she grabbed his hand. "Come on handsome. I need someone to help me check on the engine of the RV."

Yamcha looked back to Puar in fear, but the cat only gave him a thumbs up. With Chi Chi, she watched as Naruto and Jiraiya were on their fifth bowl each. Jiraiya was struggling to eat any more, and Naruto was still wailing into his bowl. He picked up the last noodle, and Jiraiya watched as he slowly slurped it down. Jiraiya fell out of his seat in defeat.

The crowd cheered as Naruto raised his fist in the air. He suddenly let out a large belch, causing the children in the crowd to laugh out loud. The raven haired girl shook her head with a smile as she walked over to the blonde. Naruto watched as Jiraiya stood up, letting out a lighter belch. Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Hope your ready to pay for all that ramen Jiraiya-san." said Naruto. The old sage grabbed his stomach in pain.

"In more ways than one Gaki." replied the Sannin. "In more ways than one." Jiraiya was about to tell Naruto the truth of his visit, when a strange red headed girl pulled him to the side. Both Jiraiya and Chi Chi were stunned and confused by the action. Naruto felt awkward as the stranger continued to pull him through the crowd.

They soon arrived at a dark alley, and Naruto was getting an ominous feeling.

"What's going on here?" The girl turned to him, only to transform into vegetation before his vey eyes. Shocked, Naruto took a few steps back. He suddenly bumped into a tall man in dark clothes. The one thing Naruto could clearly see was a ninja forehead protector, but it had a slash through the symbol, the mark of a missing nin.

"It's time to pay for the sins of your bloodline little Uzumaki." said the stranger as vines came out of the ground and began tying Naruto up. He screamed for help, but the vines tied around his mouth. The man was about to finish the job, when a blue light shined from behind him. He turned to see Chi Chi with the ball of energy in her hand. She pumped it full of energy, causing it to explode.

The plants that had wrapped Naruto were burnt to a crisp. The man stood up, angered by the girl's interruption. "LITTLE BRAT! NOW YOU'LL JOIN HIM!" He made a giant Venus Fly Trap come out of the ground.

It snapped at the girl, when the foot of a giant toad squashed it. The man looked up in fear as Jiraiya stood upon his summon.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." warned Jiraiya. "Let's do this the easy way where you surrender and my friend here doesn't have to eat you." The man was terrified. He had multiple vines come out of the ground to try and subdue the beast, but it opened its mouth as it enveloped him. He screamed as the mouth of the beast slammed shut.

The town was shocked to see a giant frog, but with Jiraiya standing on it, it became clear that the huge beast was no danger. It puffed away as it finished it's deed. "Sorry folks! Had to lay down the law! Let's get this party back on track!"

Silence rang through the group. Then a cheer erupted as the people did just that. Chi Chi ran over to Naruto as she grabbed his cheeks.

"Are you alright Naruto-kun!?" asked Chi Chi as she moved his face around. Naruto blushed a bit, but then nodded. Seeing the awkwardness of her actions, the raven haired princess backed off with a similar tint on her cheeks. Jiraiya walked over to the two as Naruto stood up.

"Looks like you had a run in with a deranged missing-nin." said Jiraiya. "Always have to be on your toes." Naruto was still unsure. The man said something about the sins of his bloodline, which sounded like something he should know. "Anyway, it's getting late. I need to talk with the gaki for a bit, but you should probably get to bed little lady."

Chi Chi was not pleased with being treated like a kid, but she conceded and made way for the RV. Naruto looked to his hand. A wound was there from one of the large thorns of the vine. "Now that we're alone, there's something I have to tell you." Naruto was keen to listen, but then he got a buzz at the back of his head.

 **"The old man is hiding something Kit."** said Kurama through the mindscape. **"I'd be prepared. He's got something big on his mind."**

"I'm going to keep this simple." Naruto returned his attention to the man. "I knew your parents." Naruto's eyes widened.

"Really?" asked Naruto. Jiraiya nodded in response.

"Your pops was actually one of my students. I think he'd be proud of the young man you are today." Naruto smiled. He had so many questions. He wanted to ask them all at the same time, but they all fought their way to the top as he started throwing them left and right.

The sage held his hand up. "One at a time Gaki." Naruto took a deep breath. He had to think over all the questions to find the best one. He decided to just run with one.

"What were they like?" Jiraiya smirked.

"That's an easy one. Your mother had a fiery temper unmatched by any other, but she had a truly caring heart. Your father was a kind and cheery soul, but he wouldn't let anyone hurt those precious to him. He's actually where you get your blonde hair and your mother gave you your hyperactive attitude, but I like to think they gave you your big heart together." Naruto was happy to hear all this, especially since the description of his mother added on to the one Uncle Fu gave him.

"Sounds like you've been around them a lot. How close were you to them?" Jiraiya chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. A confused look appeared on the blonde's face.

"You see, that's the bombshell I have to deliver." The sage looked to Naruto with closed eyes and a wide grin. "I'm your godfather." The air shifted to a feeling the Sannin knew all too well. He slowly opened his eyes, and found himself faced with one enraged Uzumaki.

Naruto suddenly leapt at him, but the old sage was easily able to dodge the rush. Naruto was able to hold him against the wall, however.

"WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME!?" Jiraiya gulped at how similar the boy's wrath was to his mother. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ME IN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING ALONE FOR THE PAST YEAR!?" Jiraiya sighed, practically expecting this reaction.

"You think I didn't want to take you in? You think I didn't plead with the Hokage to let me follow my responsibility to my student and his son?! By the time I heard of the attack, I was too far from Konohagakure to help or get you! The old man said that you were sent to a place where you'd be safe from the people who hated the beast in you and those who would see you harmed, but it was my duty to look after you in the first place! They said my spy network was too important and your life would be in even more danger if you were found being taken care of by me!"

Naruto huffed and puffed as he cooled down. Jiraiya slowly peeled him off. "I ignored the risks, however, and kept a light check on my network while I searched the world for you. Following every lead I could, obvious death trap or not. Then, a few days ago, my breakthrough came in the form of a stranger from the very place that denied me access to you."

Naruto felt tears roll down his face. "Two men offered to send me near your location, along with Mt. Myobuku, in return for my spy network and a spot in the ocean that used to hold a small island. I thought they were tricking me, but they not only wore Konoha's symbol, but one of them claimed to know you."

"Uncle Fu." Jiraiya gave Naruto a puzzled look.

"That's what you call the Nisekuma kid?" Naruto went from aggressively pinning the man, to wrapping him in a huge hug. Jiraiya was confused, but he had a feeling that the stranger had something to do with it. He rubbed Naruto's head as the boy let out all his pain. The next morning, the others were in for a shock.

"YOUR NOT BRINGING THAT OLD CREEP WITH US!" shouted Bulma. Naruto frowned as looked to the man. "I WAS FINE WITH THE PORK CHOP, BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT AN INDECENT OLD COOT!"

"I finally found one of my family Bulma-hime!" retorted Naruto as he returned his gaze to the bluenette. "Besides, he's a high level shinobi. That means extra security for you." Bulma rubbed her temples in frustration.

"I need extra security to keep an eye on him." Bulma saw the pleading look on the blonde's face and groaned. "Just make sure he doesn't try anything, or else you'll both regret it." Bulma walked into the RV, both shinobi feeling scared. Naruto was about to say something, but Jiraiya put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Don't worry Gaki." said Jiraiya. "I've had that effect on people before. It'll just take some getting used to for them to trust me." Naruto nodded as the sage entered the RV. Naruto thought of using the nimbus to scout ahead but he still had a lot of questions, so he entered the vehicle as well.

He was surprised to see Yamcha at the wheel while Bulma sat in the passenger seat, but Naruto attributed that to progress on Yamcha's part. He saw Jiraiya writing in a book while Oolong read over a strange new orange book. He whispered something to the sage, and they both had devious faces. That gave Naruto cause for concern, but he shook it off as he walked deeper into the vehicle.

Puar was letting Chi Chi brush him while she hummed a tune.

"You have a very nice voice Chi Chi." complemented Puar. The girl shook her head in denial.

"I'm not that good." said the very modest princess. Puar looked to her in surprise.

"Sure you are! You know any songs?" Chi Chi thought over the question for a bit. Naruto was standing in the doorway, but no one seemed to notice him. Chi Chi suddenly began singing a little tune, giving Naruto a huge smile. **(Imagine an acoustic version of the first part of Let's Just Live by Jeff Williams)**

The happiness was interrupted, however, when the windows of the RV were smashed. Little pellets landed on the ground, then released purple smoke. Jiraiya quickly covered his mouth, but it was already too late. Most of the inhabitants became unconscious, causing the vehicle to crash into a huge rock. Naruto slowly made his way for his bag, and groggily pulled out the scroll.

He accidentally released four of the dragon balls from the parchment, causing them to roll out on the floor. The door to the RV was busted down by Shu in a gas mask. Mai quickly followed, and they gathered up the orbs. Shu snickered as he placed the bomb on the table next to the sage. The two ran away as they quickly reached their plan.

They celebrated as they put the special orbs in a bag.

"This time they can't escape that explosion." said Shu. "They won't be giving us any more trouble." Mai nodded in agreement.

"Now let's get back to Emperor Pilaf before..." started Mai. Suddenly, they heard beeping. Not saying a word, they turned to the plane, where a toad had just jumped out of the vehicle. It quickly hopped away, before the aircraft exploded. "LET'S JUST GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE!"

Both goons ran off in fear.

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

Team 8 was currently working on a D-Rank mission. It was a new one since, thanks to Goku's words of advice the last time they had to chase down a certain unhappy feline, their usual end of the day mission was a no show. They were currently dealing with an outbreak of large locusts that messed with the crops of the village. Goku had the most creative way of dealing with them.

That's how they found themselves running around with butterfly nets trying to catch all the insects. Kiba was so tempted to let Akamaru eat all the bugs, but they were too close to the crops and Kurenai was adamant about the safety of said crops. The aforementioned Jonin actually found it very amusing to watch her team try to catch all the bugs. It stopped being amusing as Goku accidentally caught the jonin's head in his net. Goku snickered as he backed away with his caught insects.

'That kid's smart, but he definitely has his moments.' thought Kurenai as she looked down at her sweet corn. Her eyes widened as she found it was almost entirely devoured by the pests. Her body shook as she crushed the object in her hand. She threw the food on the ground, stomping on it to kill all the dirty food snatchers. The Genin whistled as they went on with their work.

The team looked on as none of the bugs remained. Kurenai turned to where Goku was storing the rest of the captured insects, but Goku got in the way.

"Hold on Kurenai-sensei!" shouted Goku. "I have a better idea for where these little buggers will go. If they're unlucky, they'll face a worst fate than explosion." The Jonin thought over Goku's words, and conceded.

"As long as they pay for ruining my desert." Goku had a weird feeling that sweets were gonna become a theme with his sensei. The team approached the farmer, who was well pleased with their good job. Kurenai reminded them of the Chunin Exams one more time, then clapped her hands. "That's all for today guys. You're all dismissed."

The Genin nodded at her as she took off. Kiba yawned as he turned to his teammates.

"Welp!" shouted Kiba. "Me and Akamaru are gonna head on our way. You guys take care of the little buggers." The two waved the boy off as he and his ninken ran straight for home. Goku and Hinata stood there for a bit. Goku felt his tail squeeze around him as it once again tried to reach for the heiress. Goku noticed Hinata begin to walk off. She turned to him with a blush and a smile.

"G...guess I'll see you tomorrow G...Goku." said Hinata before she prepared to fly off.

"Wait Hinata-ch...Hinata" said Goku, catching the honorific. Hinata's blush deepened as she looked to the saiyan. "I was wondering if you'd like to see what I planned for these little buggers, then m...maybe grab some I...Ichiraku's ramen." Hinata was surprised by the gesture. The boy usually offered his friends to eat at the ramen stand with him, but he was never this nervous before.

Was he asking her out on a date? The possibilities ran through her head as she did everything she could not to faint. "Y...you don't have to if you don't want to." She regained her composure as she threw her arms forward.

"No no! I'd love to come with you Goku-kun!" Goku jerked back at her outburst. Since when did she start using honorifics? Had she been doing it the whole time?

Shaking off the awkward feeling, the two took off through the village. The monkey boy looked to his right to see Hinata flying beside him. He smiled as he returned his sights forward. They soon arrived at the estate of the Aburame clan, a clan well known for their relationship with insects.

Hinata eeped as she felt an insect land on the back of her neck. She was about to panic, when she felt a familiar feeling. It was one of the Aburame clan's telepathic beetles. She freaked out, trying her hardest not to give away her secrets. Goku looked to her in confusion as so many thoughts ran through her head.

 _'It would've been nice if you informed us ahead of time when you plan to visit Goku.'_ thought a new person. Both eyes turned to see Shino standing on the roof of the compound. Now that Hinata could focus, she noticed the third member of Team 7 was wearing dark sunglasses, skinny pants, a thigh kunai holster, standard shinobi sandals, and a light grey jacket with a high, upturned collar. His forehead protector was in the intended spot right below his dark, bushy, brown hair. ' _That being said, it is nice to see you my friend. I hope the Hercules Beetles have been doing a good job of guarding the Toyotomi Estate.'_

 _'They've been doing just fine. They especially love the treats I bring by.'_ Thought Goku as he nodded to his friend. Goku turned to Hinata with a smile. The girl blushed as she got out of her rut.

 _"I...it's good to see you again Shino.'_ greeted Hinata. She still felt awkward having multiple people in her head.

' _Yo_ _u get used to it.'_ Hinata rubbed her head in embarrassment. Goku turned to Shino and held up the crate with the locusts.

' _I was hoping that these little buggers could be of some use, whether it be food for the other insects or otherwise.'_ Shino nodded and took the crate.

 _'We'll have a look at them, but it is most likely the former for their use.'_ Goku smirked and nodded. Shino waved them off, then walked into the estate. Hinata felt relief at the insect's departure. She so didn't want Goku hearing her every thought.

They decided to walk the rest of the way to Ichiraku's. Hinata was still rubbing her temples from the whole experience. Having someone else in you're head all the time must be so annoying. Somewhere, a red headed kid sneezed. Hinata looked to Goku, who was currently smiling at a passerby.

"Are h...headaches a side effect of the whole m...mind link Goku-kun?" asked Hinata. Goku looked to her with a sympathetic face.

"Like I said, it takes getting used to." informed Goku. "You shouldn't feel that way for too long with how smart you are." Goku caught his words, but he was glad that they weren't anything embarrassing or obvious. Hinata looked away with a huge blush. She wondered if Goku actually...

Goku's hand shot out in front of her. He glanced back, causing Hinata to do the same. To some, it would look like a normal grey box fell on the ground. This wasn't the case for the two genin, however, who could feel the obvious energy fluctuations coming from the box. Goku smirked and continued to walk forward.

Seeing Goku wasn't worried, Hinata just continued along with him. She felt a familiar presence approach. The box was slowly moving towards them, when a Goku clone lifted the box. Most of the group under the box stopped, except for the one in the front. He was snickering as he held his eyes closed.

"They'll never see us coming." said the boy. He suddenly bumped into Goku's sword. He opened his eyes, then squealed as Goku turned around. The spikey haired, brunette boy quickly hopped away from the monkey boy. He wore grey shorts, a yellow shirt with a red Konoha symbol printed on it, green goggles, and a blue scarf with a cloud theme.

"Nice try Konohamaru, but you've got a long way to go." The boy lowered his head in defeat as the five other children stood up. Three of them were the Young Uchiha children, wearing larger versions of the outfits from when they were young. The fourth kid was another brunette boy with a more kept hair style wearing a simple blue shirt which zipped up the middle, a pair of brown pants, sandals and a pair of goggles similar to Konohamaru. His name was Udon Ise, and he seemed to need a tissue if the little drip of snot coming out his nose was any indication.

The last kid was a girl with orange hair tied up, with red elastics, into two very large pigtails. She wore the same goggles as the two boys, and also wore a red tank-top over a pink t-shirt layered at the bottom, grey pants, and traditional ninja sandals. Her name was Moegi Kazamatsuri. The group watched as Konohamaru started to calm down. Kaze suddenly pointed to the boy.

"It was his idea!" shouted Kaze as he still pointed at the apparent leader. Konohamaru looked to Kaze with a deadpanned look.

"You're group didn't have to come you know." said Konohamaru as he looked to the eldest of the young Uchihas. Kaze held his hands behind his head as the boy stood up.

"Whatever." Konohamaru ignored him as he turned to Goku.

"We waited for you to return from your mission. You promised you'd play ninja with us." Goku nervously chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. Hinata looked back and forth between the two in confusion. Goku held his hand to his chin.

"Could you wait a little longer?" asked Goku. "You know I don't do as well when I'm hungry." Konohamaru nodded in understanding.

"W...hat does he mean by play ninja?" asked Hinata, her curiosity peaked. Goku turned to her with a confident smile.

"Since we weren't actual ninja at the time, the two of us came up with the idea to pretend to be ninja for fun. Soon these guys joined in on the fun." Hinata found it cute that Goku would play with children. She imagined the joyed faces on the groups face as they chased Goku around. It sounded like something the monkey boy would do. She imagined him actually doing it as an adult.

"Did you get a girlfriend while you were away?" asked Konohamaru out of the blue. Both teens blushed in shock. They looked at each other, but that only worsened the blushing.

"We aren't... I mean... Hinata's one of my teammates. We were just on our way to Ichiraku's. You know I hang out with all my friends there."

"Right. So it definitely wouldn't be a place you'd take a girl on a date."

"We're not on a date!" shouted Goku and Hinata at once. They both looked at each other, once again not helping the situation. Konohamaru looked between the two, but then laughed.

"I'm just messing with ya Big Bro! Don't be so serious." Both teens sighed, but then Hinata looked to Goku.

"B...big Bro?" asked Hinata. Goku sounded his understanding and looked to the heiress.

"This is my adopted younger brother, Konohamaru Sarutobi." introduced Goku. Konohamaru held up his hand with a smile. Hinata's face went into shock as Goku turned to the kid. "Why don't you guys practice while I get a bight to eat?"

The group shouted their agreement and ran through the streets. Goku turned to Hinata and shrugged. "Gotta love family." The girl shook off the shock and nodded to Goku. They soon found themselves eating at the stand.

As they ate, however, Hinata couldn't shake the sudden question. The way Goku reacted was so uncharacteristic of him. He would normally wave someone off and tell them the straight truth, but instead he seemed to be in shock. It was almost as if... She blushed at the prospect.

"Is everything alright Hinata?" asked Goku. The heiress instantly popped out of her thoughts and looked to the monkey boy.

"I'm a...alright Goku-kun." said Hinata with an embarrassed smile. Goku's frown stayed as he looked up.

"I'm sorry about Konohamaru. His jokes might seem like teasing, but that's just how he is. He's a great kid." Hinata was confused. Did he think she was angry about before?

"I...it's fine! I can tell you care about him a lot." Goku sounded his relief.

"It's just that, for a second you seemed angry." Hinata lightly thumped the stand with her foot, her worries realized.

"I just remembered what happened with that dirt bag Gatō." Goku frowned at the mention of that name. "T..thankfully it's all done and over and we don't h..have to deal with him again." Hinata suddenly felt a warmth reach her hand. She looked down to see Goku's tail brush up against her as it tried to wrap around her hand.

She quietly went to caress it, causing the monkey boy to blush as he pulled the appendage back.

"GOKU-SAN!" shouted Moegi as her and the other kids ran over to the two. The teens turned to see the scared kids.

"What's wrong?" asked Goku with a worried face. "Where's Konohamaru?!" Udon sniffled as he shook his head.

"We were playing ninja, when he ran into this weird guy who looked like a dog." answered Udon. "He said he was sorry, b...but the guy was still mad. He yelled at Konohamaru and grabbed him by the scarf. We tried to get him to let go, but he pulled out a kunai and a girl who was with him looked really scary and..." Goku didn't let them say anymore as he rushed off in a burst of speed.

Back with Konohamaru, he was still trying to get away from the guy as he yelled at him. The man in question had purple face paint in a triangular style. He wore a black, baggy, full body suit with a red and yellow circle on the front. He also wore a black hood which covered his head completely, and had cat-like ears and his forehead protector. He growled as Konohamaru kept struggling.

"LET ME GO JERK!" shouted Konohamaru. "I SAID I WAS SORRY!" A teal eyed girl next to him just watched on as he tried to hold the boy still. She had her sandy blonde hair gathered into four consecutive pigtails. She wore a single light purple-colored, off-the-shoulders garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. In addition to incorporating fishnet worn over her shoulders and legs, specifically on her right calf and her left thigh, she also wore her black forehead protector around her neck. The most striking detail was the massive fan she carried on her back.

"Don't think you're gonna get away with runnin' into me like that brat!" said the teen as he cocked his fist back. "I'm gonna see just how much you can take!" Konohamaru squirmed more, causing the attacker to readjust his fist.

"GOKU-NI CHAN!" The teen was about to throw his fist, when a cold feeling met his wrist. He looked behind him to see a giant sword with a hole in it right around his hand. The blonde girl was stunned by the sudden appearance of the weapon and the boy who wielded it. The bully looked straight into Goku's blank eyes.

"Let him go or you'll lose your hand." warned Goku with a dark aura over him. The all black teen felt fear as he released his victim. Goku moved the sword away from the kid's hand, but batted him away with the side of his sword. Hinata landed next to Konohamaru and checked on him. Goku stood in between the two groups, sword drawn as Sasuke landed nearby.

"W...what's wrong with you!?" asked Hinata in anger. "H...he's only a child!" The attacker tsked in annoyance.

"Can't you keep your nose out of other people's business white eyes!?" Goku growled as he tightened his grip on the sword. The blonde looked to him, an eyebrow raised.

'This guy's quite the charmer, but judging by his sudden appearance...' thought the girl before she gave her companion a serious look. "Just give up Kankuro. The boy is obviously this Goku the brat called. You're dealing with the older sibling." Kankuro growled as he looked to the girl.

"Frankly I don't give a crap Temari. This kid should let the brat get what he deserves." Goku shifted his blade, earning a jolt from the two teens. He noticed the marks on their forehead protectors. They were the symbol for Sunagakure, an ally ninja village.

"Don't mess with my brother." warned Goku. "I don't care if your guests of the village. I'll make sure you regret it." Goku suddenly felt an ominous energy, but it was familiar in some way. He put his sword away as the origin of the energy made himself known.

"You're making a fool of yourself and the village Kankuro." said a boy in the trees. The two Suna nin turned to see a boy with blood red hair, fair skin, and green eyes that had black rims around them staring at them. He wore a black body suit with an open neck, t-shirt-like sleeves, and almost full-length leggings. With this, he wore a white cloth over his right shoulder and the left side of his hips. He had a wide leather band from his left shoulder to his right hip with which he carried his sand gourd and around which he wrapped his forehead protector.

He glanced over to Goku, taking note of his unfurled tail. Goku knew he felt the boy's energy from somewhere, but something was off. The boy jumped down from the tree as the two teenagers looked way in fear.

"Sorry Gaara." apologized Kankuro. "I let my anger get to me again." Gaara turned his gaze to Temari.

"You should've kept him from making a fool of himself." The girl had an emotionless look on her face. "You're just as bad as he is. I should kill you both right now."

"It won't happen again brother." Hinata looked up from her spot next to Konohamaru with an angry look upon her face. Sakura soon joined the group, angered as Hinata explained he situation.

"What are you even doing here?" asked Sakura. Suddenly, Sasuke hopped down beside his teammate.

"Use your head Sakura." said Sasuke. Sakura looked to her crush in confusion. "They're obviously here for the Chunin Exams." Sakura sounded her understanding as she returned her gaze to the foreign group. Goku and Sasuke just stared down the teens, mostly the one named Gaara.

"We have no more business with them." said Gaara. He turned away, with the other teens following suit. "Let's move." The group ran off, with Goku still looking in the direction they came. Goku breathed in as he turned to his adopted sibling.

"Who does that guy think he is?" asked Sakura. "Does he think he can just waltz into the village and suddenly own the place?" Goku kneeled down as he checked on Konohamaru.

"You alright?" asked Goku as he looked over the boy. His ki was definitely normal, but Goku was still worried for his adopted younger brother.

"I'm fine now Goku-Ni Chan." answered Konohamaru. He deviously smiled as a thought crossed his mind. "You're girlfriend is really nice." Sakura couldn't help his smirk as both teens jumped back with red faces. Konohamaru laughed as the two teens shook it off.

Goku looked to the others with a soft smile.

"I better get Konohamaru home before we get anymore unfriendly visitors." Sakura nodded as Goku grabbed his younger sibling. Sasuke looked between Goku and Hinata as the former took off. Sakura turned to Sasuke as Hinata also left the area.

"So... you wanna hang out Sasuke-kun?" asked Sakura. Sasuke was annoyed, but he didn't show it.

"I've got something important to take care of." declined Sasuke. Sakura sounded her understanding before she too left. Sasuke shook his head as he looked to the sky. "I have to do everything." He dashed away as he prepared a scheme.

Meanwhile, at Fu's house, Fu was looking over the substance Kakashi gathered back in Wave Country. He frowned as he looked away from the substance. Kakashi was let into the room by Anko, and Fu turned to meet the Jonin. Both held serious faces.

"Did you get anything on the sample I sent you?" asked Kakashi. Fu nodded.

"There's an energy based genjutsu in this liquid designed to affect only the target." informed Fu. "You probably already know what this means." Kakashi looked the Nisekuma Matriarch in the eyes.

"Someone's after my team." Fu shook his head, earning a confused look from the leader of Team 7.

"No. Someone's after Sakura." This brought a surprised look to Kakashi's face. "Luckily, I know who."

 **That's another chapter out and about. I love messing with the love life of the protagonists. Konohamaru really knows how to push our favorite saiyan's buttons, and Bulma's really gunning for NaruChi (that's what I'm calling the placeholder pairing). Sadly for Bulma, only GoHina will come to fruition. That is, unless you guys want to do the placeholder pairing as Naruto's main one.**

 **What do you guys think? Do you want NaruChi to be the main pairing for our blonde Jinchuriki? How do you think Sasuke will handle the plan to get Goku and Hinata together? What do you think of Goku and Gaara's first encounter? Let me know in a review down below, and I'll try to respond as soon as possible.**

 **Anywho, hope you enjoyed. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	13. Chp 12: Exam, Start! The One Man Army

**I'm back! We're now one chapter away from being caught up. I just want to thank you guys, both new and old, for sticking with the story. I hope to continue to provide fun and exciting stories you can enjoy.** **Anywho, let's get on with the story.**

 **I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I do own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

Goku sprung up from his bed as he quickly prepared for the day ahead. He packed all the necessities, even grabbing a barbecue spit. He knew firsthand the dangers that could befall a ninja, and a test to go to a higher rank would undoubtedly be filled with various dangers. He grabbed his large sword, then looked at his reflection in the blade. He sheathed it as he walked to the restroom, a determined look plastered on his face.

Over at Ichiraku's, Hinata and Kiba were waiting for the monkey boy. Hinata began to worry about the saiyan. It wasn't like she didn't trust the monkey boy to be there, but they had specifically decided to meet at the restaurant yesterday. It was even Goku's idea, yet he was the one running late. Feeling the worry emanating from Hinata, Kiba decided to watch the sky as Akamaru sniffed the ground.

A shining light caught his eye. He looked at the twinkling object for a bit, then his eyes widened. He hopped back as the object hit the ground in front of him. Hinata sent a hard glare at the object, prepared to face any threat. The object started to move as the dust settled.

The first thing they noticed about the figure was that he had his black hair pulled back in a spikey ponytail. He wore a black under suit stretching from his neck to his feet, white baggy pants, an orange sleeveless battle robe over it all, blue armbands, and orange shoes with white fluff at the entrance. Kiba looked at the large sword on the figure's back but it wasn't until he saw the brown tail that he knew who he was looking at. Goku stood strong as his forehead protector flapped around from its place around his neck. His smirk turned to a childish smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry I'm late guys." apologized Goku. "I guess I wanted to try a new look for the exams. What do you think?" Hinata's eyes sparkled as she saw the monkey boy.

'Dreamy!' shouted Hinata in her head. What was she so worried about? If anything, they were early. Her and Kiba... Her eyes widened as she looked to the saiyan.

"Hinata?" She couldn't help but hold her hands over her mouth to hide her blush. "Is it that bad!?" He reached for the band holding his hair back, trying to remove it.

"NO!" Both boys took a step back as Hinata had her arm held out. Hinata quickly cleared her throat. "I j...just felt embarrassed that I was s...staring. You look great G...Goku-kun."

Kiba nodded in agreement as Goku rubbed the back of his head. Hinata turned her gaze towards the academy as Kiba elbowed Goku.

"Looks like Hinata likes the new look." complemented Kiba. "Dressing to impress seems to have worked in your favor." Goku blushed as he jumped back.

"I don't... I mean... what're you..." started Goku. Hinata quickly turned to the two.

"W...we should hurry up and enter the exams b...before all the spots are taken." said Hinata, still reelling from Goku's appearance change. The boys nodded, then they began to jump off. Kiba gave Goku a thumbs up as Akamaru barked from atop his head. The boy was embarrassed as he looked towards their destination. They soon arrived back where their journey began.

They were suddenly met by Kurenai at the entrance. She smiled as she looked to her students.

"Looks like you all decided to take part." said the jonin. The team nodded in confirmation. "Well that's good. The Exams only allow the entry for teams of three. If one of you decided to wait out the Exams, you all would've failed before you even started."

The team was surprised by the news. Kurenai had deliberately left out that one detail as a test of the team's integrity. Sure, they were angry, but they understood the reason behind the trickery. Kurenai then pointed to the large building behind him. "Now that that's out of the way, get in there and register."

Her team ran past him as they wanted to secure their spot. Meanwhile, after Kakashi sent his team in, the Jonin glanced to the right as Fu landed beside him. The teen had a hood over his head and a dragon mask over his face.

"Are you sure this is a good idea 'Dragon?'" asked Kakashi with a sly brow. The teen wagged his finger as he glanced at the Jonin.

"I'm sure they will try to make a move." said Fu. "This is a huge event, and they'd be hard pressed to mess with such a huge event if they're truly after Sakura." The instructor of Team 7 shot the Nisekuma head a glare.

"I still don't like using my own team as bait you know." Fu nodded his head in understanding before waving the man off.

"You worry too much 'Wolf.' Me and my ally have everything under control. We'll intervene if things go sideways during the Exam, but you have to put faith in your team. This will be a test to prove how much of the ninja world they can handle, plus it doesn't hurt that this is all happening during an actual test. I feel like a kid in a library!"

Kakashi gave 'Dragon' a weird look.

"Don't you mean a candy store?" Fu waved him off once again.

"Same difference to me." Goku and the others quickly made their way up the steps. They reached the room for the exam, but they were met with a crowd. Two Konoha Chunin were blocking the entrance, not letting a single person past. A small bald boy walked up to the two.

"I know you guys don't like competition, but we really have to get by for the exam." said the boy. He tried to scoot past them, but the tall one pushed him to the ground.

"You Genin don't know when to give up." said the other Chunin. "I already see ten teams who won't make it." Goku sensed the genjutsu in place, and knew they weren't on the right floor. He noticed the rest of his team knew as well, and they were ready to move on. He took a glance at the boy, however.

The bald boy seemed to have no physical nose, so Goku assumed it was some form of kekei genkai. On the boy's head were six dots flowing down his forehead in rows of two. He wore a yellow short sleeved Chinese garb with the sleeves folded to make it sleeveless adorned with purple straps in each sides, orange Chinese pants, a purple belt on his waist, white shins and ochre Chinese toe shoes. Their onyx eyes met as the boy's teammates helped him up. Goku could tell the boy was prepared to make a scene, so he decided to make sure there was no trouble.

He flickered his energy, catching the attention of his fellow sensory classmates. He also inadvertently caught the attention of foreign and older contestants, but that was a side effect he could live with. Hopefully the boy would... Why was the strange boy already looking in Goku's direction? Goku could see one of the rows of dots on the forehead of the confused boy lifted by his brow.

Seeing the attention drawn away from the two obvious instructors, Goku followed his team up the stares to the right room. Said room began to fill up as the other teams with sensory ninja followed. Goku banged his head on the desk in regret. He felt a sudden poke on his shoulder. He lifted his head to see the boy from earlier.

"Just wanna say thanks for helping out back there. I was about to make myself look stupid at such an obvious scam." Goku felt a small smile come to his face, though he was a little embarrassed.

"No prob... I guess." responded Goku. The kid then stuck out his fist.

"I just want to remind you that we are rivals, so I won't accept any more help from a stranger, even if we are from the same village." Goku was a little confused. He noticed the forehead protector around the boy's kneck. The plate was just a carved wooden plank painted silver. He wondered how the boy got past security.

He could've pointed this kid out here and now, but he was curious. Was this kid just some civilian who wanted to become a ninja, or did he have some alternative motive? He just shrugged it off as the boy sat between his two teammates. The two girls seemed to be twins, though their respective blonde and blue hair were dead give aways of who was who. Suddenly, a wave of killing intent filled the room.

Goku looked to the entrance to find a familiar trio. Gaara and his team entered the room, and took seats that were pretty far away from each other. Goku looked to the redhead. The energy he gave off was definitely familiar, but he just couldn't place it. It seemed so incomplete and malevolent.

Smoke took the front of the room as the proctor stood before them. He looked over them, silently judging them.

"A little more than I like to work with, but this will do." said the jonin. He made some hand signs, and a paper appeared in front of each genin. "In this first part, you will have to answer the questions on the pages in front of you by 11:00. Get caught cheating five times and your whole team will be disqualified. Begin."

The whole room began working on the test. There were a few using their kekei genkai and other tactics to make sure they succeeded. Goku noticed that the two girls that were with the 'genin' he met seemed to be working in sync, except for the occasional groan or smack on the forehead. He looked down at his own test, and got to work. He skipped questions that would take too long and answered the ones that could easily be answered first.

He suddenly felt something crawl up his neck. He looked to his shoulder and saw one of Shino's bugs on his shoulder. A sudden smack on a desk caused the bug to hide in his outfit. Goku looked to his left and noticed a Kiri ninja wasn't even trying to hide the fact that one of his papers was sticking out for his partners to see. "Not only were you caught cheating, but the teams behind you could see all the answers on the paper! You're team is disqualified for reaching the max cheat limit and for potentially sabotaging the exams!"

The genin's two teammates looked at him with anger as they left the room. Goku looked down at his paper as Shino's bug peaked at his paper. Goku had clearly lightly written 'don't cheat with me' in code. The bug responsded by hiding in the hair of Shikamaru. Goku snickered as the bug perfectly hid in his pineapple hair.

Time went on, and a few more teams were thrown out for cheating. The fake genin were almost exposed when the proctor walked by. Goku watched Sasuke put down his pencil, and Sakura soon followed. Goku then looked down at his own page. He had one final question to answer.

This particular question was a huge controversy to him. He wished that he kept Shino's bug around, but Goku wasn't big on cheating. He was about to answer, when there was a huge bang. "Time!" Goku dropped his pencil in disappointment.

He saw a few people had sad and unconfident faces. He looked back to Hinata, seeing a similar expression on her face. He smiled at her, causing her to grin. Goku could sure brighten someone's day. When the saiyan looked forward, the Hyūga heiress actually felt pretty good.

The proctor looked to the remaining ninjas. "There's an extra question. This one is the big one that will either see you off to the next part, or see you returned home in shame and barred from the exams for the rest of your life. If you want to leave, no one will judge you, but you will automatically fail." Silence befell the room, then a few ninjas left.

Goku looked to the fake genin, and saw the blue one start to raise her hand. The bald one then caught her by surprise as his hand shot straight up. The proctor smirked, until the boy smacked his hand on the desk.

"You think an extra question will scare us!?" shouted the boy. "We're ninjas for crying out loud! Bring on your little question!" Goku smiled. He liked the kid's spunk, even if he wasn't really a ninja.

"Alright then brat. You all pass." The whole room gave the man blank stares. "The last question was just a ruse to weed out the unsure and the kids who lack a spine. Now that this part is over, it's time to move on to the next part."

The door opposite to the entrance opened as a familiar face, or mask, entered the room. Haku looked to the genin. Goku noticed the Konoha symbol on the forehead of the mask.

"Looks like this next test will really shave the herd." said Haku. She turned his back to the genin. "Follow me." The genin did just that, with a few guys looking taken with Haku. They soon found themselves in front of the gate that encompasses the Forbidden Forest. There seemed to be a good amount of ninjas.

He then noticed another familiar face.

"Aunt Anko!" shouted Goku as he ran to her. The woman smirked as she turned to him.

"Hey there squirt." greeted Anko. Goku was going to jump at her, but she put her hand on his head. "Let's not do that right now." Goku conceded with a smile.

"Did you come to see us off?" Anko snickered at that notion.

"And to make sure the rookie doesn't mess up what used to be my part." Goku gave her a confused look.

"If it was yours, why did you give it up?" Goku looked all over for a reason. Was she injured? Was she sick? Anko instantly took notice, and began to rub the back of her head.

"I just wanted to see how the kid would do in a public situation. Now you need to get on back and fill out those forms, though I don't think you'd have to worry about dying." Goku just snickered as he ran to his team. Anko grabbed at her stomach, and smiled. After signing the papers, Goku and his team prepared for the next part.

"DYNAMIC SURPRISE!" shouted Lee from behind. Goku smirked as he returned the surprise fist bump.

"UGH!" groaned Sasuke aloud. If he wasn't Goku's friend, then he would've beat Lee down any chance he got. Sakura just shook her head and smiled.

"Don't just run off like that Lee." said Tenten as she and Neji approached the group.

"I had to give my eternal friend a Dynamic Surprise." informed Lee. "We have done it ever since we were little." Sakura giggled at the thought of how many times they missed. Little did she know that she caught Lee's attention. He got down on one knee in front of her as he held her hand.

Sasuke was surprised but reserved, and Team 8 had shocked expressions all around. "Sakura, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen! I must ask you to go out with me!" Sasuke chuckled as Goku looked between the two.

"No thanks." said Sakura. Lee had a dejected look on his face as Sakura walked over to talk to Tenten. Neji shook his head as Lee stood up.

"I will not give in! One day..." Neji smacked the bowl cut boy in the back of the head. Lee looked to his teammate with a tear in his eye.

"Give it a break Lee." groaned Neji. "Just move on and find someone else." Lee started talking about how unyouthful, if that was even a word, it would be for him to give up now. That was Neji's cue to start ignoring him.

Sasuke was about to strike a conversation with Goku, but his attention was suddenly drawn to a crowd of ninjas around a lone Otogakure nin. He had onyx eyes and ash-grey hair, which he kept in a ponytail. He wore black rimmed circular glasses, a dark purple shirt with a high collar, dark purple fingerless gloves with armoured plates on the back of the hand, a white under-shirt, and dark purple pants with a white cloth waistband. He walked over to the group, a smirk on his face.

"Greetings." said the stranger. "I am Kabuto Yakushi. Could I interest you in some information cards on the various genin taking part in the exams?" He held up one of the said cards. "Knowing your enemy can be a huge advantage in these exams."

Sasuke took interest in the card. With a bit of chakra flow, Kabuto revealed his own identity on the card in his hand. He saw the look on Goku's face, and turned to Kabuto.

"Do you have any on a contestant named Gaara?" asked Sasuke. Kabuto smiled as he held up a card.

"Right here. I'm feeling especially generous today, so how about I hand out this one for free." Sasuke took the card as a hand came out of the shadows and took the rest. "MY CARDS!" He looked to a shadow nearby, and saw Kaze pulling the cards towards him.

"It worked!" shouted Kaze as the other young Uchiha clapped. "It's only my hand, but it worked!" He looked up to see Kabuto with an enraged face. The children ran off as Kabuto prepared to give chase.

"Alright, let's go over the rules now that all of you have signed the wagers." said Haku, causing Kabuto to flinch as he turned around. Haku held up two scrolls. "These two scrolls are marked 'Heaven' and 'Earth,' as you can see. Each team will randomly receive one of these scrolls, until there is an even spread. Collect the other scroll and head north of the forest to the next exam within five days, but don't open either scroll. There is a severe punishment for those who open the scrolls before they reach the assigned destination."

The genin all nodded at their own pace as a member from each team were sent into a tent to receive their scroll. "You will not know who has which scroll, so you will need to attack any team you come across. Each team will also be assigned a gate as their entrance. You will be given a paper with your gate number. You are to head there and await the alarm."

Anko looked over the teams as they awaited their third members to return. She noticed that Goku was standing near Hinata, but not too close. That was good, since it was the advice she gave him so that he wouldn't estrange himself from the others. She soon found a kunai being floated up by a tongue. She glanced behind herself to see a ninja from the Hidden Grass Village with a smile on her face.

"You dropped this ma'am." said the ninja. Anko politely took the kunai, recognizing her husband's logo on the wrap. "It's unwise for any woman, ninja or civilian, to go around unarmed."

"Thank you so much." thanked Anko. The ninja quickly returned to her team, but Anko felt a strange presence from her. It was dangerous, yet familiar in some way. Granted, she hadn't sensed it before, but it was so familiar. She shook it off as she went on her way.

Sasuke waited patiently as the kid in front of him entered the tent. He looked back to his sworn brother's team. Goku was being incredibly slow, even with a chance like this, but he did tell him to wait till after the exams. Hinata held a huge blush that mirrored the one belonging to the monkey boy, making Sasuke groan. He returned his gaze forward as the person defore him exited the tent.

"Next." said a woman's voice. Sasuke entered the tent, where he was met with a fair skinned woman with white hair and black eyes. She brought up a scroll of heaven. Sasuke put his hand on it, and the woman chuckled. "It's funny how you got this scroll."

"How so?" asked Sasuke, growing wary of the woman.

"You're tailed friend has something in common with it. Next." Sasuke walked out of the tent, more confused then when he went in. The woman watched as the last genin entered the room. Kiba did not receive any words, and was quickly shoed out.

The woman frowned as her eyes turned red. "This alliance better be worth it." She suddenly disappeared without a trace. The Inuzuka and his minkes returned to where their teammates stood, but they were nowhere to be found. He waited, but they didn't return.

"Guys?" asked Kiba as Akamaru looked around. Goku and Hinata were walking around, trying to see if they could find Team 7 one last time before the exam started. Hinata didn't really say much, mostly because Goku was pulling her along by the hand. It was almost like they were... The heiress' face ran red at that thought.

There was a sudden jolt as Goku accidentally bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're walking!" shouted an all to familiar voice. They're hands were separated as Goku looked ahead. Ino stood before them, her team trying to ignore her. "Well, well, well. If it isn't White Eyes and her ape."

Both felt spite at the coment. Hinata was starting to become annoyed at Ino's insults, and Goku really hated being called a monkey. An ape, however? That was taking it too far. Goku was about to ward Ino off, but Hinata actually stomped her foot.

"He's not an ape Ino-Baka!" shouted Hinata. Ino jerked, but quickly regained her composure. When did Hinata get so bold? She smirked as she decided to continue.

"That's right! Now I remember. He's the King of Monkeys and the Ruiner of Futures. Thanks to you my chances with Sasuke fell to zero." Goku tsked and looked to the side.

"It's not my fault you're a bully and a jerk." retorted Goku. Ino looked to Goku in anger. She then looked around for a bit.

"So, did dog boy decide to ditch you or did he get a better team?" Hinata got right up in Ino's face.

"Our team is just fine thank you very much." said Hinata. "Kiba-san is a huge part of this team, and unlike you and your team, we actually enjoy each other's company." Ino was about to rage, when Goku stood in between the two.

"She's not worth it Hinata-Chan." said Goku, causing the heiress to blush. "Let's go see if the others are elsewhere." He grabbed Hinata by the hand and pulled her along. Ino caught a glimpse of the blush on the Hyūga's face as Hinata disappeared into the crowd. She was shocked, then she heard a groan from behind.

"And to think I actually wanted to talk with Goku." said Shikamaru. "What a drag. Thanks a lot." Choji nodded in agreement.

"I was hoping he had some of his homemade dumplings to spare." said Choji before smacking his lips. "Those things are so good, I could eat them all my life and never get tired of it." Ino growled as she turned to her colleagues.

"So help me you will not waste our time talking with those two!" shouted Ino. "'She's not worth it.'" Ino stomped off, with her team unwillingly in tow. Goku continued to pull Hinata through the crowd. The poor girl couldn't find the right words to say.

"Um... G...Goku-kun?" asked Hinata. No response. "Goku-kun?" Goku looked back at her. She was able to see the anger in his eyes.

"Yeah?" asked Goku in response. He stopped as she lightly tugged.

"I c...can walk on my o...own." Goku looked her in the eye, then looked down at their joined hands. His face reddened as he let go of her. Both looked away in embarrassment. "So, uh, t...thanks for calming me down there. It was unbecoming of an h...heiress to r...react in such a way."

Goku rubbed the back of his head.

"I should be thanking you for sticking up for me. I don't really let it bother me, but the way she called me an ape made something deep within me burn with rage. Plus, no one's ever really stood up for me like that." Hinata blushed at the comment. She looked down to see Goku's tail begin to unfurl and coil around her.

She couldn't stop herself as she leaned forward. Goku's tail was halfway around her waist as his eyes widened.

"Do you two know how long it took to find you?" asked Kiba as he interrupted the moment. Goku stiffened as his tail once again wrapped around his waist. Hinata sighed in disappointment as Kiba approached them. He noticed the looks on their faces as Akamaru yawned. "Am I interrupting something?"

"NO!" shouted both in unison. Kiba looked between the two. Off in the crowd, Sasuke was smirking at the two. The plan was working so far.

"Never mind. I have the scroll, and which gate we need to wait at. If you two are done being lovebirds, we should make our way over there." The two just moved along as The Inuzuka led the way. He looked back to Goku, the boy being the most embarrassed.

When they reached the gate, Sasuke pulled Goku to the side. When they were far enough away, Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was already risking his team's place in the exams by being there.

"Didn't I tell you to wait till after the exams?" asked Sasuke as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Goku looked down in defeat.

"I know, but then Ino came along with her team and then Hinata stood up for me and..." started Goku, but Sasuke was quick to wave him off.

"If the dumb blonde was involved, then you don't have to explain anything. Besides, you haven't exactly asked her out, and you can't control the tail thing." Goku sighed in relief. He walked towards Hinata as Kiba snuck his way over. "You did a good job breaking up the situation before things got out of hand."

"What can I say?" asked Kiba. "I wanna make sure we get through the exams without anything holding me back. Those two can make googly eyes at each other after I make Chunin." Sasuke groaned as Akamaru shook his head.

"Just stick to the plan dobe. Even Lee can tell they like each other, but they can't seem to get that. It's so annoying." Kiba smirked as he figured Sasuke was playing Cupid for the two. He and Akamaru quickly ran back to them as Sasuke dissipated.

Hinata sat by herself as she processed her own actions. She actually went to kiss Goku-kun! He seemed to be all for it as well. She never found herself being so angry at an ally before, but Kiba was definitely getting it later. She shivered as she remembered how close Goku's tail came to completely encompassing her.

The one thing to take away from it all though, was that she took a chance, and Goku didn't stop her. That's gotta account for something, right? She'd have to ask Sakura later, but there actually seemed to be a chance. Kiba and Akamaru approached the rest of the team, but stopped as Hinata gave them the stink eye. The Byakugan definitely made her scary as heck, and the Inuzuka and his ninken were visibly shaken.

Goku felt great concern for his friend. Suddenly, the alarm sounded, and the gate slowly opened. With the gate out of their way, the team quickly moved forward. They put the awkward start behind them as the forest enveloped them. Little did they know that things were about to get interesting.

 _Time Branch 147, Diablo Desert_

Naruto felt his eyes begin to open. He had no recollection of what had happened. They were happily on their way to the next dragon ball, Yamcha was making progress, and Chi Chi was revealed to be a wonderful singer. She sung like a beautiful blue bird... That thought quickly brought him to full consciousness as he sat straight up. His face was as red as a tomato as he looked around.

He noticed that the windows of the vehicle were broken, the front of the mobile home was squished in almost crushing Bulma and Yamcha, the scroll was unfurled without any signs, and there were little metallic balls on the ground. Realization hit as he looked at the scroll. It was empty, and the dragon balls were nowhere to be found. He patted at himself to make sure this wasn't a nightmare, but found partial relief when he felt a familiar orb in his pocket. He pulled out the four star dragon ball, the one that started the quest for him.

He quickly put it away as he went to take care of the others. He activated some of Kurama's power as he pushed the front of the vehicle away from his two companions. He then began to bring them out of the vehicle, and into a safer spot. He saved Chi Chi for last as he picked her up bridal style. As he walked out with her, however, she began to stir.

She yawned as she stretched. Her eyes opened as she looked to Naruto. Their eyes locked for a moment, then they both blushed as Naruto gently set her down.

"Are you alright Chi-hime?" asked Naruto. Chi Chi thought for a bit, but then grabbed her head. She was slightly bleeding but there didn't seem to be that much damage.

"Other than some bleeding and a headache, I think I'm alright Naruto-sensei." answered Chi Chi. She took note of the crashed mobile home, then looked to Naruto. "What happened?" Naruto looked around, then sighed.

"I warned Bulma other people would be after the dragon balls, and my suspicions were correct. We were attacked last night, and most of our dragon balls were taken." He pulled out the four star dragon ball. "Luckily, mine wasn't taken, so whoever attacked us can't make their wish." Chi Chi sighed, but then grabbed her head again.

"It hurts!" Naruto took a closer look at the spot of the wound. It wasn't as bad as he thought, but he definitely wasn't a doctor. He quickly pulled out a gauze pad and a blue headband. He put the pad over her head and wrapped the band around her head.

"That should stop the bleeding until someone who actually knows this medical stuff wakes up. Try to rest yourself while I make sure everyone else is okay." Chi Chi nodded as Naruto checked over the others. She rested her head on a soft pillow Naruto found, and awaited further examination. So far, however, the only others to wake up were Oolong and Puar, neither of whom knew anything medical.

Naruto growled as the two animals brought back firewood incase they were there all night. He looked down to his own hands. This was another thing he could've prevented, if he had actually sent a shadow clone ahead. He shouted as he threw a rock across the desert. That shout was enough to awaken a certain sage.

"TSUNADE-I-DIDN'T-DO-IT-I-SWEAR!" shouted Jiraiya as he shot up, prepared for pain. Naruto jolted as he turned around. Finally! Someone who might be able to help. Jiraiya rubbed his eyes once he noticed there wasn't any danger.

He turned to face Naruto as the jinchuriki ran to him. "What the heck happened Gaki?" Naruto grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him towards Chi Chi.

"Not important right now! Chi-hime received a wound to the head! I used some gauze to try and stop the bleeding, but I'm no doctor!" Jiraiya became serious as he rushed ahead. He soon began examining the girl's head.

He sighed as he looked to Naruto.

"You're lucky the wound's not serious, otherwise I wouldn't be much help. I have some herbs that will heal that right up, but your going to have to keep the pad on as it heals." Jiraiya quickly got to work as Chi Chi applied pressure with the pad. He poured some liquid down her throat, and then soaked a new pad in another liquid.

"Are you sure your doing it in the right order?" Jiraiya grabbed the blue bandana from earlier and prepared to wrap it around the girl's head.

"Who's the sage here?" Jiraiya quickly set up the pad, then patted his hands together. "That should do it. You'll want to be very careful from here on, at least until we can get to someone more experienced in the medical field." Jiraiya stood up and walked towards the broken vehicle as Naruto sat beside Chi Chi.

The girl sighed as she looked down. A little while later, Yamcha stirred awake. He opened his eyes, only to be met with the face of a sleeping Bulma. He silently screamed as he shot up. He looked around, and everything seemed to be alright.

The fact that they were outside, however, was cause for concern. He looked around, and noticed that the others were doing their own thing. He wondered how all this happened, then he turned to the crashed vehicle. This time his scream was audible, waking Bulma and drawing attention from the others.

Yamcha received a hard punch from above as Bulma shot up.

"KEEP IT QUIET!" shouted Bulma. She took in her surroundings as the others looked to her in relief. She then looked in the direction Yamcha shouted, and felt a huge wave of dread and anger. "WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO TO MY RV?!" Naruto ran over to check on them as Bulma grabbed Yamcha.

"He didn't crash it!" shouted Naruto. Bulma looked over to Naruto, a scarred Yamcha still in her grasp. He then told her exactly what happened, causing her to drop the chicken.

"So the dragon balls are gone?" Naruto shook his head and showed her his grandfather's dragon ball. She sighed in defeat. "UGH! We did all that hard work for nothing!"

"Not for nothing. All we have to do is find them with the dragon radar, and take back the others." Bulma stood up and grabbed the radar.

"Oh yeah. Great plan. Use the radar to try and find a group of people who attacked us and could be halfway around the..." She looked down at the screen, then her eyes widened. "world... right... now?"

Naruto took a look at the screen. All six of the remaining dragon balls were nearby. Oh how she hated her luck. "I give up." She handed the radar to Naruto and walked towards the others.

Meanwhile, over in a nearby castle, Mai and Shu put out the dragon balls before their leader. The chair he sat in turned as he faced them. He was a blue being with elf ears and onyx eyes. He wore a green, red and black tunic with a frill on the neck, blue pants, black shoes and a multi-colored hat. He hopped down from his chair, and walked towards the two.

One thing became very apparent when he reached them. He was short, the size of a small child to be exact. He looked over the wish orbs with an evil grin, but it soon diminished. He counted over the orbs, then growled. The two lackeys were in fear.

"Tell me this, how many dragon balls do you see?" asked Emperor Pilaf. Shu quickly counted over the orbs.

"Five?" guessed Shu. Pilaf hit him over the head with a rod.

"THERE ARE SIX YOU IDIOT, BUT EVEN THEN YOU GUYS LOST THE LAST DRAGON BALL! WE NEED ALL SEVEN IF WE WANT WORLD DOMINATION!" The goons quickly got in their knees as they begin to beg.

"FORGIVE US EMPEROR PILAF!" shouted the goons. Pilaf growled as he walked back to his chair. He looked out the window of his palace. That's when he saw the beat up mobile home slowly driving towards them. He was surprised, but a smile crept up his face.

"Looks like you'll get your chance to redeem yourselves after all." The two walked over to the window, and saw the vehicle. "Our prey has come to us."

"They must be stupid if they think they can defeat us, especially on our own turf." said Shu. He and Mai ran for their guns and ran down the stairs. They waited at the door for a bit, then Pilaf opened the large door. Jiraiya came in carrying the injured Chi Chi.

"Someone help!" shouted Jiraiya. The two goons were confused. They didn't see either of these people in the mobile home. "My granddaughter is injured and needs a doctor." Shu raised his brow.

"How did you come across that vehicle?" asked Shu. Jiraiya looked panicked, but it added to the effect.

"I came across the empty vehicle in the desert. I was lucky it still ran. Enough about that! Please help my granddaughter! If payment's what you need, I found this in the vehicle."

The sage then pulled out the four star dragon ball. The two goons had stars in their eyes as they saw the orb. "It must be worth something." The two looked to each other, and smirked.

"Let's get her taken care of." said Mai as she grabbed the injured girl. Shu took the orb from his hand and they all rushed deeper into the palace. Mai looked over the injury on Chi Chi's head. Shu looked to Mai in confusion.

"Since when were you a doctor?" asked Shu. Mai gave him a smirk.

"I happen to have a medical degree." Mai quickly sowed up the wound as she reapplied the pad with the cloth. She wiped her brow once the deed was finished. They walked out of the room, but then the camera watching over it shorted out. Chi Chi opened her eyes as the wall to the room was pulled apart.

"How're you feeling Chi-hime?" asked Naruto as the toad behind him disappeared.

"A little groggy, but medicine will do that to you." answered Chi Chi. Naruto smirked as the others entered the building. With Pilaf, he happily looked over all seven wish orbs. Jiraiya has been tied to a support as the two goons celebrated the occasion. Pilaf quieted them down as he cleared his throat.

"This is it men." said Pilaf as he started his speech. "Global conquest is finally upon us. With the last dragon ball in hand, victory shall be ours!" The two goons saluted him as he casted his hands over the orbs. "GREAT AND MIGHTY SHENRON, COME FORTH AND GRANT ME MY WISH!"

Silence befell the room. Suddenly, the four star dragon ball erupted into smoke. A hammer flew forward and rammed Pilaf in the face. The two goons stepped back, but ran into something metallic. They turned to see a giant robot towering above them.

They screamed as the machine chased them. Pilaf ran around his chair as he was now being chased by a jackhammer. Jiraiya cut himself free as he went for the wish orbs. He grabbed them up and put them in a bag. The goons finally stopped running from the robot and aimed their guns at him.

He suddenly puffed as he transformed into a snake. He wrapped around Shu's leg, and the dog tried to shake him off. Mai aimed her gun at the serpent.

"WAIT!" shouted Shu. Mai opened fire as Shu tried to dance out of the way of the bullets. Pilaf looked to his right, noticing Jiraiya taking the dragon balls. He growled as he ran at the man. He jumped at the sage, only to be pulled from behind by a rope. The rope suddenly transformed into an anvil as it hopped after him once again.

Mai stopped firing as Shu began to pant. Oolong jumped off the dog's leg and wrapped around her waist. He snickered as he squeezed tighter, causing the woman to gasp. He turned back in a puff of smoke as his magic timed out. She looked down at him in rage.

"Heh... hiss... hiss." laughed Oolong. He ran away as she chased after him. Naruto opened the door to the room, wondering if they needed help. Seeing the events unfold, he made the smart decision and slowly shut the door back. Pilaf suddenly jumped in his chair and pressed a button.

The seat lowered into the floor, and the entire palace began to rumble. The floor opened partially, and a large machine appeared.

"SURRENDER NOW, OR FACE THE MIGHT OF MY PILAF MACHINE!" shouted Pilaf through a speaker. The group ran out the room, having already obtained the dragon balls. Naruto stood at the bottom floor as he supported the weary Chi Chi. He noticed the group approach them with fear on their faces.

"What the heck did you guys do!?" asked Naruto as they ran past him. He didn't have to wait for an answer as the Pilaf Machine came barreling towards them. He grabbed Chi Chi and carried her outside. Once they were all outside, Jiraiya turned to stand his ground. "What are you doing!?"

"Getting ready for battle Gaki." answered the old sage. He hopped over the machine then threw a paper tag bomb at its ventilation. The bomb missed, however, and exploded on the back of it. Pilaf turned his machine around, and two kunai were able to pierce the glass.

"YOU KNOW I PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THIS!" shouted Pilaf in rage. Jiraiya pulled out a few more tags.

"I don't care." Jiraiya threw the bombs at the impish creature, and one of them successfully entered the exhaust pipe. The explosion caused a bit of of the machine to break away, but it remained functional. Pilaf growled as he looked among the attackers. His eyes landed on Chi Chi, and he made a mad dash for her.

He was about to grab her, when Naruto sent a strong kick into his face. The boy pulled his arm back as he prepared his signature technique.

"NINE TAIL BARRAGE!" shouted Naruto as the attack went straight for the villain. Pilaf backed away as he tried to escape the technique. He ended up being hit by the last beam. He stood up, only the legs of his vehicle remained. He screamed in silent terror as Naruto stood before him.

Jiraiya was shocked by the power and name of the move, but he was brought out of his thoughts as the ground rumbled. He turned to his right as Mai and Shu rolled up in tanks, ready to fire upon them. Pilaf quickly hopped onto one of the vehicles and laughed.

"This is your last chance to surrender!" shouted Pilaf. "One false move, and you'll be blown to smithereens!" Naruto growled as he looked to the others. They wouldn't survive a shot from the weapons, but if they gave up the dragon balls were lost. He suddenly smiled as he remembered something.

He took a step forward. "I'm warning you kid!" Naruto went into a run as he approached the tanks. "Alright then! Let Blondie be an example of what happens when you mess with the Pilaf Gang!"

The tanks aimed for the blonde. Naruto continued his path despite the cries from his friends. "Fire!" The tanks shot at him, and he had two gaping holes in him. The group were in shock.

"NARUTO!" cried Chi Chi in Bulma's arms. Pilaf laughed as the boy fell to the ground. In a puff, however, the body disappeared. All were stunned, then they heard shouts over the distance. All eyes turned to see a wave of orange approach.

Mai and Shu felt terror as an army of angry Narutos came their way. They looked over to Emperor Pilaf. Te little imp did not looked deterred. Nope, not in the least. He was completely terrified by this army.

He pointed to the others in fear. "Let's grab the dragon balls and get out of here!" They turned the tanks, only to be met with another approaching army. Jiraiya held Chi Chi and Oolong as he ran for cover, and Bulma rode on Yamcha's back as Puar rested on his head. They were soon surrounded as the angry ninja clones drew closer.

"Let's just open fire!" shouted Shu as he began his attack. The goons fired at the clones as fast as they could. They knocked down a good few, but the waves just kept on coming. They were in need of a reload, but it was already too late. The clones all jumped at them.

"SON NARU-TO BARRAGE!" shouted all the clones as they wailed on the villains. Their screams were heard all the way to the nearby town. The trio stumbled away as they were tied together by a metal barrel.

"I'll get you one of these days ninja brat!" shouted Pilaf as he dangled his legs in the air. Naruto growled as his clones readied their weapons. "MOVE FASTER YOU IDIOTS! I DON'T WANNA GO OUT LIKE THIS!" The two goons quickened their pace as they disappeared into the distance.

Naruto weakly laughed as all the clones disappeared at once. It was revealed that the original Naruto had a large wound in his arm from a tank shot. The group ran back over to him, Chi Chi being the most concerned.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" shouted Bulma and Chi Chi at the same time. Naruto stumbled over to them.

"I guess I wasn't." responded Naruto as he fell into Bulma's arms. Jiraiya looked over the blonde.

"I don't think that arm wound is repairable Gaki." said Jiraiya. "Not only that, but you used up a lot of chakra. You won't be doing anything else for a long while." Naruto chuckled as he grabbed his shoulder.

"Darn, and I promised a friend a match. Guess that makes me a liar, and I hate it." Chi Chi flicked Naruto in the ear.

"You should worry about your own health Baka!" shouted Chi Chi. Bulma sighed as she carefully laid the young blonde on the ground. She suddenly got an idea and took the wish orbs from Jiraiya. She set them up in a circle with the seven star in the middle. She breathed in as she prepared the magic words.

"Mighty dragon Shenron!" called Bulma. "I summon you here to grant me my wish!" The seven orbs began to glow as the sky turned dark. They suddenly shot a bright, yellow light into the sky. A large green dragon with red eyes and a tan underbelly floated in front of them.

It was definitely an awe inspiring sight. The dragon breathed in as he peacefully floated.

 **"You who have summoned me, speak your wish and I shall grant it."** said the mighty dragon. The others were still taking in the sight of the amazing creature. Bulma smiled as she looked to the two youngest.

"I wish for the wounds of my friends to be healed." said Bulma. This gained shocked looks from everyone, except the mighty dragon.

 **"A very easy wish."** The dragon's eyes glowed as he got to work. Chi Chi and Naruto glew as their wounds suddenly disappeared. They looked to Bulma, who was still smiling. **"All of your friends across the globe have been fully healed. Farewell."**

"Wait, what?" The dragon released a bright light as he disappeared. The dragon balls shot in the air. They glowed for a moment before they scattered across the globe. Bulma kept her eyes on the sky, but she could feel the tension behind her.

"Well... that happened." said Oolong as he blinked a few times. Chi Chi removed the cloth from the top of her head as she patted the area of the wound. Said wound was completely gone. She poked at Naruto's arm, taking note of the missing wound there too. Naruto stood up and looked to the sky.

"Did you know that..." started Naruto. Bulma nodded her head as she looked to the sky.

"I honestly thought that would happen." confessed Bulma. "I mean, why let someone have them 24/7?" Naruto shrugged as he looked up.

"Yeah. I get it." They remained silent for a moment. "So... I guess I'm not getting that back any time soon." Bulma jerked back and looked to Naruto.

"I can't believe I forgot! I'm so sorry Naruto." Naruto just waved her off.

"Eh! As long as you guys are alright, I can always find it with that fancy radar. In any case, thanks for making the wish. I know you probably wanted something else." Bulma just shrugged and leaned on Yamcha.

"I think I got what I was really looking for." She then kissed Yamcha on the cheek, causing him to become as red as a tomato. She looked to the others. "I was thinking of heading back home to orange star city. Anyone else wanna join _us_."

Naruto was about to reply, when Jiraiya put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Actually, I don't think training would be very safe in a populated area." said Jiraiya. Naruto somberly nodded his head in agree... Wait?

"Training?" asked Naruto. Jiraiya took a few steps back.

"Yeah. You still have to train the princess, and you still have a lot of training to do as both my godson and my apprentice." That last word caused Naruto's eyes to sparkle. "Unless, you don't think you're up for..."

"APPRENTICE/SENSEI NARUTO REPORTING FOR DUTY!" Jiraiya smirked as the blonde raised his fist. Chi Chi smiled as she stood beside him. Oolong yawned and walked over to the other group.

"As fun as all that sounds, I think the rest of my community service will be better spent in an actual community." said Oolong. "Just remember to not be strangers." The three smirked as Yamcha pulled out a capsule. He threw it on the ground, and a truck appeared in its place. Jiraiya was surprised by this, but he had no time to ask since Naruto was pulling him along.

"Come on!" shouted Naruto. "I wanna get to training ASAP!" Jiraiya made multiple protests as Naruto pulled him along. Chi Chi laughed as she ran to catch up. The others were too far away by the time Chi Chi caught up. The group had split off, but the next adventure was waiting right around the corner.

 _Unknown location_

A man looked over a screen as it was paused on the great dragon. He took a closer look at the image, intrigued by it. The legend of the dragon balls were true. He smirked as he looked out his window. The building he sat in had a huge red ribbon on it.

 ** _"So the legend's real." said the stranger._**

 **That concludes rewritten chapter 13. I now have Sasuke and Kiba working together on operation Hyūga Toyotomi. They haven't actually named it mind you, but let's just call it that for now. Get ready, cause the next chapter's gonna be a blast!**

 **So... here's the thing. I thought I had Naruto's pairing when I was writing the original. Then I lost it and placed Chi Chi as a filler pairing, but someone helped me to realize that if she became a full pairing that it'd just be a pairing swap. I don't wanna seem lazy, but I'm having a tough time deciding between the girls who could match him. I'm going to have to ask for your help, again from readers of the original.**

 **The choices are Suno (because her red hair is similar to that of an Uzumaki), Arale Norimaki (because she could actually keep up with Naruto even if she isn't a ninja), Yugito Nii (since they're both jinchuriki), Rin Nohara (same reason as Yugito), and third crossover. That last one doesn't seem like a pairing option, but if you choose it I'll already have a series in mind to plop into the slot and a pairing to boot. As usual, you can vote on the poll from the desktop/tablet version of my profile if you have an account or you can leave a review down below if you're a guest. If you vote on the poll and want to tell me why you chose your vote, you can either PM me with your choice or leave it in a review along with the guests. I hope to end the poll before the world martial arts tournament, but I will go past it if there are not enough votes on the poll.**

 **Anywho, what do you think of the changes? How do you think Hinata will get back at Kiba? Are you excited for more GoHina? Remember to leave a review down below and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	14. Sage’s Wisdom, Snake in the Grass

**This is it. This is where the original left off. After this, nothing but new chapters on the horizon. We've waited this long, and our patience is about to be rewarded. Before that, however, let's go over a few things.**

 **I've decided to change the end date of the poll. You now have until the end of the Chunin Exams arc to cast your vote. The first to thirty by then or the closest at that time wins. I've also decided to drop the third crossover choice. I honestly don't feel right just cramming a third crossover that's not in the summary so that Naruto can be paired with a female character. That means only four choices remain.**

 **Anywho, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I do own OC's unless credit is given.**

 _Time Branch 147, Mt. Myoboku_

The large mountain was surrounded by water on all sides. Toads of all shapes and sizes hopped along the giant mushrooms. There were even a few giant toads in the area, towering above said mushrooms. Further up the mountain, a puff of smoke appeared. Jiraiya, Naruto, and Chi Chi became visible when the smoke dissipated.

"*COUGH* Do you *COUGH* have to arrive like that all the time!? *COUGH*" asked Chi Chi while she tried to clear her throat. Jiraiya nodded with his hands on his hips.

"Only the best of us Princess." answered the sage. "Only the best." Naruto handed the girl a little cloth.

"Breath through this." instructed Naruto as Chi Chi took the cloth from him. "It'll soothe your throat and clear your lungs." Jiraiya looked over the fabric as Chi Chi pressed it to her face, making sure there was no misidentification or prank. Chi Chi sighed in relief after a few breaths. "That cloth will be good for a few days, but then it'll get too moist and you'll run the risk of getting a mold infection."

Jiraiya blinked multiple times. Naruto sure knew his medicine. He rubbed the blonde's head with pride.

"Where did you learn that Gaki? I didn't take you for the medical type." Naruto chuckled in embarrassment.

"When you live in the woods alone for a few months, you have to learn things fast. I was lucky to have Grandpa Gohan's small book collection to help me out." Jiraiya held his hand to his chin. He was beginning to want to meet this guy, but the solom look on Naruto's face told him that wouldn't be possible. The sage shook his head as he walked forward.

"Let's hurry on to my place. We need to get you two situated before we even think about training." The two nodded before Jiraiya rushed off. Chi Chi groaned as she prepared to walk, but then Naruto picked her up piggyback style. He looked up to her with a smile on his face.

"You aren't trained for ninja speeds, so it looks like I'll need to carry you." Chi Chi blushed as she mumbled her thanks. They soon arrived at what looked to be a large cottage. Outside of the cottage was a child sized toad statue standing on a podium. Jiraiya turned around to face the kids.

"This is where you'll be staying." said Jiraiya. "At first, it was only supposed to support Naruto, but the toads got to work when I let them know there would be a second guest. I mean, unless you two were okay with..." Jiraiya was suddenly smacked over the head with a closed fan. A small toad was squatting before him.

The toad was feminine in appearance. She had a green underside with purple marking around her mouth and the back of her body. The top of her head looks as though she was wearing a hair net with hair-rollers underneath, giving her an 'old woman' look. She wore a high-collared cape. She growled at the sage, a slight tint of anger in her eyes.

"They are but children Jiraiya-boy!" said the toad woman. "And do not mention that philosophy of yours!" Jiraiya seemed dumbfounded, but looked away with a sigh.

"Yeah Yeah." He received another smack before holding his hands together. "I mean yes Ma!" Naruto and Chi Chi snickered at Jiraiya's predicament. Another toad arrived and shook its head.

"Please forgive Ma Jiraiya-boy." said the toad. "She's been like this ever since the Mass Relocation Jutsu." This toad was more masculine in appearance and had green skin. He had white hair styled in somewhat of a mohawk, very thick eyebrows and a small goatee. Like Ma, he wore a high-collared cape, but it was a lighter color.

The male toad looked to Ma. "Calm down Ma. You'll scare our guests." The female toad sighed as she made the fan disappear.

"You're right Pa." said Ma. "I'm just a little cranky that's all." Naruto cocked his head to the side.

"Are those your names or something?" asked Naruto. Chi Chi looked to Naruto with a raised eyebrow. Pa chuckled as Ma hopped over to the blonde jinchuriki. She looked up to Naruto with a friendly smile.

"Of course not Naruto-boy. My name is Shima. My husband over there is Fukasaka. It's good to finally meet you." Naruto smiled as he entered a respectful bow.

"It's nice to meet you too." He then gestured to Chi Chi. "This is my friend, Princess Chi Chi of Frying Pan Mountain. I promised to train her in the ways of the ninja." Chi Chi nervously bowed to the old toad.

"It's a pleasure to meet you lady Shima." The toad returned the gesture.

"Please dear, anyone who's a friend of Naruto-boy is a friend of ours. Both of you just call me Ma." Jiraiya gave Shima a deadpanned look.

"How come your not cranky towards them?" asked Jiraiya. Ma turned her head to the sage with a deadpanned look.

"They're children and they didn't agree to move the entire mountain." Jiraiya faltered as he turned away again. He mumbled to himself as he walked up to the cottage. Pa jumped on his shoulder and brought his lips close to the man's ear.

"He looks so much like his father." whispered Pa. Jiraiya smiled as he nodded.

"Which makes me all the more determined to see him succeed." said Jiraiya as he opened the front door of the cottage. The living room was a cozy little place with red furniture, green carpeting, and and beige walls. The room had many toad accessories, including statuettes and paintings. Jiraiya rubbed his hand on one of the stone toads, when Naruto came rushing in. He held Chi Chi's hand as he ran to see the rest of the cottage.

Jiraiya shook his head at the blonde jinchuriki's antics. "Not so fast Naruto! You might break something!" Naruto turned his head to the sage.

"I gotta see the whole place!" shouted Naruto. "Come on Chi-hime!" Chi Chi sounded her surprise as Naruto pulled her into the kitchen. Jiraiya continued to smile, but an awkward feeling filled the air.

"Looks of his father and energy of his mother. I've got a lot to work with." He slowly followed the two, making sure to catch things the blonde accidentally knocked over. The two stopped as they reached the kitchen. It was a bit larger than the living room, but it had a large dining table, hardwood floor, a bar, and a ceiling fan.

Naruto and Chi Chi looked around for a bit as the latter removed her hand from the former's grip. Naruto's stomach growled as he walked over to a fridge behind the bar. He opened the appliance, but then groaned as he saw several bottles of alcohol.

"What kind of fridge only holds this junk!?" Jiraiya quickly shut the door with a terror struck look on his face.

"The kind that apparently needs a sticky note saying '21 and up.' The fridge you're looking for is right over there." Jiraiya then pointed to a fridge of similar size, but obviously a different brand. Naruto sounded his realization as he walked over to the other appliance. He smiled as he saw many familiar options, including milk, eggs, and even some fish local to Mt. Pazou.

There was only one thing he was craving at the moment.

"Got any ramen?" The sage sighed as he opened up a cabinet. The boy had to pick up the ramen obsession from his father. He pulled out a bowl and got to work. He felt the two sets of eyes on him, taking a quick glance.

"This is gonna take a while. The guest rooms are upstairs." Naruto nodded as he and Chi Chi made their way up a nearby staircase. There were four sets of doors in the hall, two for each side. Chi Chi walked over to the first door and opened it.

It was a large room with grey walls, white carpeting, and similar patterned windowsills. There was a large bed with grey sheets, grey and burgundy pillows, and a burgundy comforter. The wooden bed frame was black. The bedside table, bookcase, and drawer were also black. Naruto felt something was off and waved his hand through the air.

The walls began to change. One symbol appeared on the wall next to him. It was a red whirlpool with two golden swords behind it. The symbol multiplied, covering the wall like a pattern. Naruto felt the symbol was familiar, but didn't push it as he placed his bag on the bed.

Chi Chi marveled at the walls, then turned to the room across the hall. She opened the door, only to be met by the bathroom. She closed the door, then walked to the room next to Naruto's. Naruto suddenly ran out of his room with a hand stretched out.

"Don't open that one!" shouted Naruto all of the sudden. Chi Chi jerked as she took a few steps back.

"Why?" asked Chi Chi as she regained her composure. Naruto waved his hand over the nob, revealing a seal on it.

"It has a seal. Uncle Fu taught me that sealed things are that way for a reason. That must be Jiraiya-sensei's room. It's best we don't disturb it." Chi Chi gulped as she turned to the door across the hall.

She hesitantly grabbed the nob and opened the door. The room was the same size as Naruto's, but with tan walls, brown carpeting, and white windowsills. Her bed contrasted Naruto's with white sheets, white and turquoise pillows, and a white comforter. The bed frame, along with the other wooden furniture, was pearl white in color. Naruto sensed around, but there was no genjutsu in place.

"It's nice." Chi Chi set her bag down on the bed as she laid down. "The bed's comfy, and I like the colors." Naruto smiled at the girl as she sat up. A familiar scent hit his nose, and he couldn't help himself as he turned away.

"Ramen!" Naruto grinned as he ran back downstairs. Ma and Pa helped set the table as Jiraiya poured the ramen into the bowls. Just as the dishes were placed, Naruto hopped in a chair. The others were shocked as the boy picked up the chopsticks.

"You have the nose of a bloodhound Naruto-boy." said Pa. Naruto rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, then he looked down to the bowl. He was about to dig in, when Ma patted his shoulder.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" asked Ma. Naruto raised his eyebrow as he turned to see Chi Chi walking over to the table. Remembering the manors Grandpa Gohan taught him and not wanting to sully his adopted family name, Naruto pulled out a chair for the princess. Chi Chi smiled at the gesture and sat in her seat.

"Thank you Naruto-sensei." said Chi Chi as Naruto pushed her chair in. He shook his head as he sat in his chair.

"Save the sensei stuff for training. Just Naruto will do." Pa leaned over to his wife.

"I thought you said they were too young Ma?" asked Pa.

"I meant for Jiraiya's philosophy and sharing a bed." revealed Ma. Jiraiya grabbed his bowl and joined the others at the table.

"Itadakimasu!" said all at the table as they began to dig in. Naruto was trying to slow down, but he just couldn't help himself as he wolfed down the noodles. Jiraiya and the toads were stunned by how fast Naruto could down a bowl. He placed the chopsticks down, then chuckled at the looks sent his way. He held out his bowl, signaling his desire for more.

"Good thing that Fu guy helped me stock up on ramen, cause we're gonna need it." said Jiraiya as he walked towards the kitchen with Naruto's bowl. Naruto waited patiently as the others continued to eat their food. Jiraiya soon returned with another bowl. "This will be the last bowl tonight. If you eat too much you won't be able to have breakfast tomorrow or train properly."

Naruto sighed but nodded in understanding as he chowed down on his second bowl. In truth, it was one more than Grandpa Gohan would let him eat for a regular meal. "Speaking of, how are we going to work the two different training schedules?" Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "You're going to be training the hime over here and I'm training you."

"Jiraiya-boy does have a point." agreed Pa. "How will you manage it Naruto-boy?" Naruto smiled as he slurped a noodle.

"Simple." answered Naruto. "I'll train Chi Chi first, then I'll train with Jiraiya-sensei. If I train with Jiraiya first, then I'll be too tired to train Chi-hime." Jiraiya nodded in understanding.

Chi Chi smiled as she slurped another noodle. She gasped as Naruto pulled her close to him. "As her teacher, I have a responsibility to her first." The poor girl blushed uncontrollably at the gesture, causing the old sage to chuckle. Ma only smiled and nodded.

"Such a polite and responsible young man." complimented Ma. The elderly toad then glared at Jiriaya. "You know what Jiriaya-boy? You could learn a thing or two from him." Jiriaya grumbled under his breath as he looked to the children.

Naruto let go of Chi Chi as he yawned. Chi Chi also yawned, stretching out her arms. "I guess it is late. It's time for children to get some sleep before training tomorrow." Jiriaya also yawned, but chose to use his next words carefully after a glare from Ma. "Sages too."

Ma nodded as they watched the two kids go upstairs. "This isn't gonna go away any time soon is it?" Ma frowned at him and shook her head, causing Jiraiya to groan. "This is gonna be a long few years." The next day, after breakfast, Naruto and Chi Chi got to work on the latter's training.

Naruto had Chi Chi work on sensing the world around her. How exactly? Well, she was walking around blindfolded, trying to feel the energy of the surrounding area. Naruto has some shadow clones standing in front of fatal areas like cliffs and sharp objects, not wanting the girl to get hurt during her training. She was getting a feel for the area, almost seeing the energy flowing around her.

"Remember to pace yourself Chi-hime!" shouted Naruto. "Even if you get it on the first try, mastering the technique takes a while!" Chi Chi turned to Naruto, but she took a few steps back. While Naruto's ki was normal at first glance, but there was a collection of unknown ki pouring into the rest of his body. The stream was even widening.

She actually bumped into one of his shadow clones, causing it to fall off the edge in comic fashion. Naruto winced as he grabbed his rear. Chi Chi removes the bandana from her eyes, wearing an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry Naruto-sensei." apologized Chi Chi. "I guess your energy spooked me." Naruto raised an eyebrow, but then he felt Jiraiya approaching.

 **'I think she's found out Kit.'** said Kurama in Naruto's mindscape. **'We might not want the old coot to know about this yet.'** Naruto nodded as he put a hand on Chi Chi's shoulder.

"We'll talk about it later." said Naruto as Jiraiya arrived. Naruto bowed to his god-father. "Hey Jiraiya-Jiji. Come to check out my teaching skills?" Jiraiya growled at the nickname, but he swallowed his pride as he shook his head.

"Just wanted to remind you that we begin our training after lunch." said Jiraiya. Naruto sounded his disappointment, causing the sage to crack a smile. "However, I suppose I could make sure you aren't putting your friend at risk or going too easy on her." Naruto smiled as he turned to Chi Chi.

"Let's do the exercise one more time, then we'll end the session with a spar." Chi Chi nodded as she lowered the blindfold. Jiraiya silently judged his student's methods, finding some logic in the blonde's methods. Chi Chi stood in place for a moment, creating an energy map of the area. It wasn't the best view, but it was good enough for the first day.

"Ready Naruto-Sensei!" shouted Chi Chi. Naruto nodded to his remaining shadow clones, and they began lightly tossing stones the girl's way. Jiraiya was utterly confused as the girl easily dodged the slow moving projectiles.

"You lost me here Gaki." admitted Jiraiya. Naruto smiled at the toad sage.

"Just watch and learn Jiriaya-sensei. Watch and learn." Jiraiya took a closer look at the stones being thrown. He finally took notice of the increase of speed and distance. They were building their way up to higher speeds.

"So you're improving sensory abilities, speed, and evasiveness." Naruto nodded his head as the stones got faster.

"You bet. I did this one myself for a long time. That's part of how I got so fast." Chi Chi could feel the wind pushed by the stone brush her as the projectile passed by. She tried to feel for the incoming energy, but the rock ended up hitting her arm. She yelled in pain as the stone fell to the ground.

One of the clones prepared another stone, when the original raised his hand. "That's enough for the first day." The clones sounded their dissatisfaction as they puffed into smoke. Naruto walked over to Chi Chi as the girl completely pulled off the blindfold. He quickly got to work checking her arm, bringing another smile to the sage's face.

Thankfully, the stone only left a bruise. Naruto looked up to the somber princess. "Cheer up Chi-hime. You did better than me on my first try." The girl looked to Naruto in disbelief.

"That can't be." argued Chi Chi. "You're so cool." Naruto grinned as he rubbed his chin.

"Well I didn't get this cool overnight. I had to train my rear off just to get halfway here and even then it only got harder." Chi Chi still didn't believe the blonde, but she took his word for it. He finished checking her arm, then looked around a bit. "Now, where would be a safer place to spar?"

"I know where you can go." said Jiraiya as he caught the duo's attention. "Follow me." Chi Chi tried to follow on her own, but Naruto proceeded to carry her. She wriggled around in protest as Naruto followed his master. They soon happened upon a clearing with a large stone circle on the ground.

Jiraiya jumped on to the circle, then proceeded to walk to its center. Naruto finally put his friend down as they too arrived at the circle. Jiraiya waited for the duo to be within the stone circle. "You might want to stay still this first time." The two gave him confused looks as he placed his hand on the ground.

A seal appeared below his palm and stretched out to the edge of the circle. "MASS BARRIER JUTSU!" A wall of energy encircled Jiraiya before expanding to the edge of the circle. Naruto and Chi Chi flinched as the barrier passed right through them. Chi Chi felt an odd feeling down her spine as the barrier engulfed her, while Naruto staggered a bit.

The wall reached its destination, then curved to form a dome. The duo looked to the smiling sage.

"What the heck was that!?" shouted Naruto. Jiraiya pointed to the seal below him.

"This is a barrier seal. Depending on the ammount of chakra pushed into it and how long its arms reach, the barrier it creates will be large and traversable or small and sturdy. The jutsu I used gave us a barrier that's both traversable and sturdy enough for a spar between sages. It'd take a biju level attack to break this baby." Naruto chuckled a bit at the ironic claim, but didn't push it further.

"The barrier isn't blocking off oxygen is it?" asked Chi Chi with a concerned tone. Jiraiya snapped his fingers as he pointed to Chi Chi.

"Smart question Princess. You don't need to worry. Air passes through here just as easily as it would if the barrier wasn't present." Chi Chi breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to Naruto... Who was taking off his shirt.

She blushed as she saw the seal over his stomach. He unfurled a scroll and pushed some chakra into it. Out came a shirt colored a darker orange, baring the symbol of his uncle. He quickly slipped it on and sealed the other shirt away. "Looks like you've gotten the hang of sealing scrolls Gaki. I haven't been giving your adopted uncle enough credit."

"Actually, a friend taught me to use them a few years ago." informed Naruto. "He may have only stayed for a few weeks, but I could tell he was going to be a friend for life. Guys like him are rare these days. Anyway, let's go through some stretches before we start the spar." Chi Chi slowly nodded as she peeked from behind her fingers.

The two did some light stretching, then meditated to prepare for the fight. Chi Chi couldn't let what she saw earlier go, however, throwing off her concentration. What's in the seal on the blonde's stomach? He said they'd talk about it later, but she just couldn't get it off her mind. The energy was unearthly, but it didn't feel evil.

"You ready Chi-hime?" Chi Chi suddenly opened her eyes to see Naruto standing across from her. She quickly rose to her feet as she entered her stance.

"Just wanted to make sure I was ready Naruto-sensei." informed Chi Chi as she smiled. Naruto looked over the girl's form, taking a few mental notes before entering his own. The two waited as Jiraiya held a hand in the air. The man dropped his hand, and the world went into slow motion. Naruto could see the unsure look on Chi Chi's face, so he decided he'd take it easy for now.

"Hajime!" shouted Jiraiya as his hand reached his side. Chi Chi moved first, running around the blonde. Naruto stood in place as he turned to follow her. They'd never actually sparred before, so he didn't know what to expect from the girl. She moved her arms above her head on reflex, but she soon remembered that she had lost her helmet in the crash.

She quickly rethought her strategy as she went for a frontal assault. Naruto raised his arm to block, but the girl held one of her hands back as she continued the approach. His eyes widened as she pushed a ball of energy forward. The ball didn't leave her hand, but the jinchuriki was still caught in the explosion. Naruto chuckled lightly as he opened his eyes.

"Using that technique this early in your training?" asked Naruto. "With as much energy as you have, that should be a two time move, best used as a finisher." He jerked back as a leg collided with his gut.

"Got you talking." said Chi Chi. Naruto could only smirk as he grabbed the girl's leg. He spun her around before throwing her into the barrier. Chi Chi quickly rolled across the barrier as Naruto punched where she once stood. She threw a punch into his face, then took a few steps back.

She quickly hopped to the right as the blonde shot a ki blast at her. She looked up only to be met with a blast pointed at her face.

"I think that's enough for your first spar. If I go too far you might get discouraged." Chi Chi sighed in defeat, but smiled as the attack turned into an outstretched hand. Naruto pulled her up, not letting go as she got to her feet. Jiraiya cleared his throat, causing the boy to let go of her hand.

"You wanna let the barrier down Gaki?" asked Jiraiya. Naruto smiled as he waved his hand through the air. The barrier dissipated as the seal faded away. The sage nodded in delight as he walked to the edge. "Let's get lunch, then you and I have some training to do kid."

Chi Chi ran ahead as Jiraiya took off, trying to keep from being carried by Naruto. The jinchuriki in question shrugged as he ran back on his own. Half an hour later, Naruto stood outside the lodge as Chi Chi approached him. The girl stopped as she tried to catch her breath. She looked up to see the smiling blonde, who carried a knowing smile.

"Next time, we'll work on your running speed." The girl sent him a small glare, but shook it off as she walked towards the front door. Naruto pulled her to the side before she could enter the building. He used some hand signs, causing Chi Chi to feel a soothing sensation up her back. "Now, let's talk about what you saw during sensory training."

Chi Chi was hesitant, but she breathed in a bit as she found her words. "Now tell me, what did you see? You won't be able to concentrate until you get this thing off your chest."

"You had this collection of bright orange energy collected in your stomach." answered Chi Chi. "It didn't feel human, but it wasn't evil per say. Just overwhelming." Naruto let out a small sigh of relief at the description. He looked around, then returned his attention to the girl.

"At my birth, there was an attack on my home village, Konohagakure. The Kyubbi no Kitsune began destroying the village in a rampage, no cause in sight. The kyubbi, along with his siblings, are said to be demons of high power, feared by all in the land. The hero of the village, the Yondaime Hokage, defeated the kyubbi, by sealing him into a newborn child." Chi Chi's eyes widened in realization.

"So the kyubbi is what's in the seal?" Naruto nodded in confirmation. "You must be seen as a hero." Naruto then shook his head.

"I wouldn't know. Uncle Fu got the permission from the previous Hokage to take me to a safe place, and as far away from certain villagers as possible. I don't even know if the village is aware of what my father did." Chi Chi felt great sorrow for the blonde. Something about his reveal felt off to her, however, as she thought over a certain word.

"It might be nothing, but I get the feeling you know something about the attack." Naruto felt a grin rise at his understanding friend.

"It's more second hand. I got my information from the accused side." Chi Chi held a hand over her mouth. "Some years after, I had gained the ability to communicate with the kyubbi. Through my conversations with him, and learning how to read people thanks to Uncle Fu, I learned the truth about the attack on Konoha."

Chi Chi felt a little wary of what a supposed demon had to say, but she had faith in Naruto. "He was being controlled by a man with the sharingan and chakra chains. The sharingan is a powerful dojutsu possessed by the Uchiha, but the eye can be implanted into another person for use." The girl shuddered at the thought of putting someone else's eye in her head. "I'm pretty sure Uncle Fu realized this too, which is why he brought me to my adopted grandfather."

"But how can you trust someone who's called a demon?" Naruto felt a rush of anger, but quelled it that instant.

"Because he's not a demon. During my studies I found an ancient text telling the origin of the biju - that's what the kyubbi and his siblings are called - and of chakra in general. Their just living chakra in the form of giant animals. After finding several other stories confirming the same fact, I came to the very conclusion written in ink and shoved to the back burner. After gaining his respect, I can happily call him my friend, albeit we need to work on his view of humanity and anger issues."

Naruto suddenly felt a headache hit him.

 _ **"I heard that Brat!"** _shouted Kurama within the confines of Naruto's mindscape. The blonde sighed as Chi Chi processed all the information.

"Well, if you trust him, then I'll give him a chance." said Chi Chi. She gasped as she remembered something. "I forgot to tell you. I saw the seal was pumping his chakra into your system. The only problem was that the gap seemed to be getting wider. I don't know if that's helpful or anything."

Naruto stared at her in shock.

"Uh...Yeah." said Naruto. "I can definitely say it's helpful. I'll have to look into it later, but I ask that you don't tell Jiraiya-sensei. I'll let him know when I'm ready, but I just don't trust him enough right now." Chi Chi slowly nodded, when the door to the cottage opened wide.

"Come on you two!" shouted Jiraiya. "Don't make me eat this all by myself!" Naruto looked to Chi Chi one last time, receiving a small nod from the girl. The two entered the building, then got to work eating the meal prepared. Jiraiya watched the two for a bit, then one of the toads landed on his shoulder.

The amphibian whispered into his ear a bit, then he whispered back. The toad left them as Jiraiya cleared his throat. "So, what're you two talking about that took so long?" Naruto held up a finger as he chewed on a piece of pork.

"We were going over some training strategies." partially lied Naruto. "From now on, since I can't carry Chi Chi everywhere and she dislikes it, we're going to work on speed and endurance running." Chi Chi nodded in confirmation, taking a bite of pork in her mouth. Jiraiya held a half smile as he watched over the two.

"Well I'm glad to see you're taking this teaching thing seriously Naruto, but make sure you make room for your own training in that schedule of yours." Naruto nodded in agreement, but remained wary as the sage returned to his meal. They soon finished, Jiraiya standing up from his seat. "Alright then. Let's get these dishes put away then get started on your training Gaki."

Naruto had stars in his eyes as he grabbed his and Chi Chi's bowl and rushed to the kitchen. The girl felt awkward silence fill the room as Jiraiya stood there for a moment.

"Well, I guess I better work on meditation and my form while you guys start training." said Chi Chi as she made her way upstairs. Jiraiya's smile faded as the toad from earlier reappeared.

"Now tell me again but in detail." The toad then told Jiraiya about the entire interaction, even describing the honest words and feelings coming from Naruto over the subject. Jiraiya sighed, then looked to the kitchen. "Thank you for informing me. I'll confront him about this after our training session."

The toad nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Jiraiya's smile returned as Naruto returned. "You ready for some intense training Gaki?" Naruto pumped his fist in determination.

"You bet I am Jiraiya-sensei!" shouted Naruto. The two soon returned to where Naruto and Chi Chi had their spar, and got to work. Naruto underwent many different styles of training as the sage put him through his limits. He had Naruto dodging rocks, practicing his kunai throwing, suppressing his chakra for stealth purposes, and even water walking by the beach. That last one, to Jiraiya's surprise, was fairly easy since Naruto had already mastered that aspect of training.

The sage didn't know what to think of it as the blonde returned to the beach after completing five laps around the entire mountain. Naruto huffed and puffed before looking up at the sage. "That was some great endurance training Jiraiya-sensei!" Jiraiya rubbed his chin in thought.

"That Nisekuma kid thought of everything didn't he? He must've been strict if you went straight from tree climbing to water walking in a few months." Naruto waved Jiraiya off with a foxy grin.

"Nah! Another friend of mine pushed me to get stronger. He wanted to help me get stronger so that I can defend those I care about." The sage couldn't tell if Naruto was talking about the fox or another family figure, but still kept the same smile.

"You sure do have a lot of friends Gaki. Let's head back to the sparring circle and finish up the routine. Last one there gets a five minute delay in the fight." Jiraiya quickly took off, leaving behind a smirking Naruto. Jiraiya looked back, seeing Naruto disappearing in the distance.

He smirked as he approached the training ground. Imagine his surprise when he arrives to see Naruto meditating in the center of the circle with a small barrier around him. Jiraiya looked back and forth for a bit, then frowned at the blonde. "Shadow clone."

"Yep. I use them to help me train and study. The last one just dispersed after helping Chi-hime with her hair." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at the blonde. "What, I can't help out a friend in need after studying seals for a few minutes?"

"No. It's just that I didn't take you for the stylist type." Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

"Have to tame this mane somehow. Anywho, let me set up the barrier while you get ready to dodge for the five minute delay." Jiraiya smirked at the blonde. He may have some sass and cockiness to him, but he had a reason for both to be present. Naruto held his palm over the center of the circle, causing the seal to appear for him. **"Mass Barrier Jutsu!"**

Jiriaya's ear twitched at the dual voice as once again the barrier rose and encompassed the stone circle made by the sage. The sage took note of the new orange color, but blamed that on the fox's chakra. Naruto slowly stood up, then entered his battle stance. He smiled as Jiraiya entered his own stance. "Let's see just how far I have to go to reach your level."

"I can already tell you have some room to go." said Jiraiya as his face tensed. "HAJIME!" Naruto rushed at the sage. He tried to land a combo on the man, but he moved out of the way in time. Jiraiya continued to dodge as Naruto tried combo after combo.

Naruto then got an idea as he tried for a low sweep. Jiraiya jumped, but that left him open for the energy blast charged by the blonde. Unable to use substitution jutsu due to the surprise, Jiraiya flew straight into the barrier. The sage bounced off the wall and back to the ground. Jiraiya slowly got up as Naruto stood in place, arms crossed.

"Looks like I landed a hit on you Sensei." said Naruto with a grin.

"I know I'm supposed to be teaching you, but you have to tell me how you do that technique." Naruto tsked as he waved his finger in the air.

"As soon as you teach me one of your techniques, I'll teach you how to fire your chakra like that." Jiraiya smirked as he moved one of his feet back.

"Five minutes are up Gaki!" Jiraiya bolted at Naruto, catching the boy in an uppercut. Naruto grunted as the sage launched him to the ground with a kick. The blonde blocked multiple strikes from Jiraiya's combos, but that didn't mean they hurt any less. Jiraiya then threw kunai and shuriken at him, but he intercepted the attacks with some well placed chakra blasts.

Fists, kunai, shuriken, and chakra were flung across the training field as the two powerhouses continued the spar. They soon found themselves at opposite sides of the circle, each facing different levels of exhaust. Jiraiya felt slightly winded at how much effort he put into battling the boy, and Naruto was trying to catch his breath from the effort he put in just to keep up. Jiraiya then held his right hand back as he pushed into it with his left hand. "You want to learn one of my techniques, well get ready for the preview!"

Naruto smiled as he pulled his right arm back, charging one of his signature attacks.

"Don't oversell it Jiraiya-sensei! Give me something exciting!" the orange ball of energy formed in Naruto's hand as a swirling blue orb appeared in the sage's hand.

"As you wish!" Jiraiya suddenly rushed at Naruto, his hand still held back. He suddenly leapt as he thrust the appendage forward. "RASENGAN!"

 **"NINE TAIL CANNON!"** The dual voice reared it's head again as Naruto also thrust his arm forward, the nine beams of chakra swirling around each other. The beam sped off towards the attack of the sage, but the rasengan was actually pushing the attack back towards the blonde. Jiraiya struggled as he continued to walk forward. He got close enough to where the two orbs almost collided, but both attacks burned out in a large explosion that cracked the barrier.

Naruto and Jiraiya laid down on the ground for a bit, then slowly began to laugh as they sat up. "That attack was amazing! I was afraid that you were gonna push all the way through for a bit there."

"You were afraid? I had to put in five percent more just to push through that beam. This is the third time I underestimated you today. I'm gonna have to move far ahead in my training program if I want to actually help you improve." Naruto pushed his fingers together as he looked down.

"Just out of curiosity, how much percent did you have to put in?" Jiraiya thought over this question for a bit, then came up with an answer.

"I'd say around fifteen percent before the struggle." Silence befell the circle, then Naruto shot up into the air with a new burst of energy.

"I MADE A SAGE GO TWENTY PERCENT!" Jiraiya chuckled as he stood up. "THIS IS AWESOME! I'm good enough to make a sage take me seriously!" The blonde mumbled to himself as the sage approached him.

"Slow down there Gaki. We don't want to break your weary mind now." Naruto chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Welp, let's get back to the house and celebrate the first day of training with some Ichiraku's!" Naruto walked towards the barrier, but Jiraiya placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Hold on there Naruto. I wanna talk with you about something first." Naruto frowned at the hidden tone in the sage's voice. He glanced back, to see a serious look on Jiraiya's face. Naruto let his smile returned as he tried to play it off.

"We can talk over ramen back at the house right?" Jiraiya's face didn't falter. "Wouldn't it be better to talk about it after we've had something to eat?"

"Let's talk about the biju." Naruto's face went into slight shock.

"How did..." He suddenly recalled the toad that landed on Jiraiya's shoulder.

"Call it sage's wisdom. It's a very dangerous game trying to befriend a biju. That seal on your stomach widens all the way and he can escape, leaving you to die a slow and agonizing death." Naruto glared at the sage with a large scowl.

"Kurama wouldn't do that to me." Jiraiya let his brow raise slightly.

"So you got the kyubbi to tell you his name? That takes time and respect, but he still neglected to tell you about the seal." Naruto covered his mouth, but a muffled laughter could be heard. "What?"

"I'm sorry. It's just... do you think your toad knew exactly why what Chi Chi told me was helpful?" Jiraiya went into slight shock as Naruto uncovered his methods. "I knew about the widening seal. Uncle Fu told me back when I was trying to get him to tell me how to let Kurama out."

 _Flashback, Mt. Pazao_

 _Naruto had decided to approach Fu about the seal once again. He was tired of his adopted uncle dodging the subject entirely, so he decided to give it one last try. He walked into the dojo of Uncle Fu's teleporting home to find the man balancing on a staff. He walked closer, but stopped as the Nisekuma held his hand up. Fu's face went from contortion to relief as he flew off of the rod and back onto the ground._

 _"What can I do for you sport?" asked Fu as wiped his face off with a towel._

 _"I was hoping we could talk about the seal like you said we would." admitted the younger Naruto. Fu slightly groaned, but kept his composure._

 _"What more is there to talk about that you would understand? I already told you that it's impossible to release Kurama, and there's nothing more you'd be interested in." Naruto held up a book on seals and signs._

 _"This book says that seals can be removed either through the right amount of chakra or the right circumstances. I know Kurama also told me not to push the subject anymore, but I just can't help it. I find the fact that he's basically trapped behind a cage inside me unfair to anyone." Fu quickly took the book away from Naruto._

 _"This was supposed to be in my private library. How did you get your hands on it?" Naruto just shrugged at his uncle._

 _"It's not private if it's unlocked all the time." Fu sighed as he put the book down. He thought over it all, then decided to throw caution to the wind._

 _"Look, even if you could get the seal off, you wouldn't want it to be gone. If Kurama leaves, you die. A Jinchuriki can't live without biju chakra. Even if he decided to return regularly, that still means he won't get much freedom and you'll be on death's door as long as he's out and about." Naruto was shocked as he looked at the seal on his stomach._

 _"I didn't know about that part. I guess I was so obsessed with being fair to my friend I didn't think to look for the consequences." Fu sighed as he poked at the seal._

 _"Now that you know, it's time I dropped the bombshell. This seal is designed to pump Kurama's chakra into your body, giving you a massive amount of energy to pull from. Overtime, however, the seal will widen. Even if Kurama want's you to live, he won't be able to resist the push from the fading seal. He'll be sent out of your body, and without a proper seal master, you'll have no way of putting him back before you die."_

 _Naruto was stunned most by this development. The seal was slowly widening, and then he wouldn't be able to keep Kurama inside. That was a scary thing to think about. "I'm sorry you had to figure this out, but I just couldn't risk you letting him out and killing yourself." Naruto lowered his head, but a small smile adorned his lips._

 _"Thanks Uncle Fu. I better get back to Grandpa Gohan's house." Naruto gave his Uncle a hug before walking out of the dojo._

 _"Wait a minute?" Naruto suddenly began speed walking a lot faster. "This was locked away in my study vault!" The young blonde then went into a full on run. "SON NARUTO UZUMAKI!"_

 _flashback end_

Jiraiya nodded his head as Naruto finished the story. The blonde didn't tell Jiriaya that he stole the book that day mind you, but the rest was laid out before the old man. Naruto took a short breath as he returned to the present.

"The new information came at how large she made the gap out to be." said Naruto. "I don't even use Kurama's chakra as much anymore, but I'm surprised at how wide it's gotten. As for biju being demons, I have plenty of evidence against the notion." Jiraiya mulled over the information given by Naruto. Naruto seemed to hold a serious face, telling Jiraiya that he was deadly serious.

"Here's some sage wisdom for ya." sighed Jiraiya. "While dancing with the devil can be dangerous, dancing with a biju is suicide." Naruto let a growl escape his wish. "But... it's also true to not judge a book by its cover and to have all the facts before you accuse someone. If you truly have evidence, and your word holds true, then I'll let the fox... I mean Kurama, have a chance to prove himself."

Naruto smiled brightly at the sage before him. "We'll still have to deal with that widening seal, but I think I can help you out in that old dilemma. Just know that I'll have to teach you how to use the Nine Tails chakra in order for my plan to work." Naruto tackled the sage into a huge hug.

"Thanks for understanding Jiraiya-Jiji!" shouted Naruto. Jiraiya sighed as he mumbled against the elderly honorific, but rubbed the boy's head in affection. Two loud rumbles filled the air as Naruto and Jiraiya stood up. Both went into a fit of laughter as Jiraiya dropped the broken barrier.

"Now we go back to the house and have some ramen." Both raced off back to the cottage, but with the widening seal still fresh in their minds.

 _Time Branch 149, Forest of Death, Konohagakure_

Sasuke and his teammates sped through the forest as they tried to gain some distance. This part of the Chunin Exams was definitely going to be a long and arduous one. Sasuke had the Heaven scroll safely stowed away within his outfit as the group jumped from tree to tree. Something that still bothered the Uchiha heir, however, was the comment from the woman who gave him the scroll. His mind wandered to Goku as he continued to jump through the trees.

The boy had always been an enigma to him. The obvious first thing was the tail, but that could be attributed to a kekei genkai. Next was the way he acted. Sure, there were friendly people in the village, but no one was more helpful or loved a fight as much as Goku did. Then there was the significant difference in power.

Goku was a powerhouse, even before Sasuke knew him. He was strong enough to trump a chunin sensei who should have been way stronger than any genin. Then there was Zabuza's sword. That blade being used by a boy his size just seemed illogical. Then there was the fact that he seemed to be full of Chakra.

The important thing to remember was that the boy had power, which Sasuke desperately craved. The power to defeat Itachi and get his answers. Given more time, the boy could easily take out his brother. It was this power that first drew Sasuke to get acquainted with Goku; to try to get him to train him to that level of strength. He never thought that he'd be this close with the boy, not even when Sasuke started hanging with Goku regularly.

Before Sasuke could think on it further, the group ended up stopping. Shino held up his hand as he scanned the area. Sakura carefully approached the Aburame heir.

"What's the matter Shino?" asked Sakura. Shino looked to his two teammates, gesturing to some nearby trees with his eyes. Sakura sensed the area, then nodded to the boy. Sasuke only nodded in agreement because the two were very trustworthy in these kinds of situations. Shino raised his hand, unleashing some mosquitos into the forest.

Screams of a nearby Genin team filled the area. Team 7 made their way over to the attack sight, finding a passed out group of Kiri nin. Sakura shivered at the sight as Shino grabbed the scroll from one of the Genin. Her shivers increased as she was reminded of the communication beetles.

 _'Bad news.'_ thought Shino over the mind link. _'They were carrying a heaven scroll, same as us. We'll have to keep looking.'_ Sasuke groaned as Sakura took the extra scroll from Shino. She had a feeling they'd be needing it.

Meanwhile, Team 8 practically floated through the trees, save for Kiba and Akamaru. Both flying Genin were still in shock from the events 2 days ago. They had almost kissed, on the lips! This brought hope to the both of them. Hinata thought that it meant Goku reciprocated her feelings, and for Goku it meant she probably had the same feelings for him.

The two Genin were ironically plotting to tell each other the truth when Kiba suddenly jumped in front of them.

"Wait!" shouted Kiba. They both stopped inches away from the Inuzuka, Akamaru hopping back in shock.

"What's wrong Kiba-san?" asked Hinata, not sensing any enemies. Kiba suddenly began a funny dance as he bit his bottom lip.

"I gotta answer Mother Nature!" They face planted as Kiba crossed his legs. The saiyan was the first to pop up as he looked Kiba in the eyes.

"You couldn't have done it before we took off this morning!?" shouted Goku as the Inuzuka hopped around a bit.

"I didn't have to go then!" He ran through a few trees as he left. Goku growled as he cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Just remember the code word: Dumplings!" Hinata felt a hunger pang as she began to crave some of the monkey boy's dumplings. After a bit, Kiba returned to the others. Hinata gestured to the boy with her eyes, receiving an understanding nod from Goku.

"Sorry guys. Nature calls at the worst times." Goku stepped in front of Hinata, his scowl still remaining.

"Just to be sure, what's the code word?" Kiba put his hand on his chest.

"You wound me Goku. The code words Dumplings." The saiyan smiled, only to hold Kiba against the tree. "What's the big idea nimrod!"

"That only adds to the many flaws of your disguise faker." Kiba chuckled a bit, before suddenly going up in a puff of smoke. A genin from the hidden cloud village stood in the place of the saiyan.

"I'm impressed you saw through my disguise." said the faker. "You must really know the Inuzuka boy well." Goku didn't move to acknowledge the enemy as he still held his fist back.

"More than you apparently. Either you forgot the most important thing about the Inuzuka clan or you didn't do all your homework." The ninja quickly looked around, unaware that Akamaru was an important part of the disguise. He suddenly shook his head as he looked to Goku.

"Well, by the time you find him, you'll be down a teammate. Hand over the scroll since you've already lost." Hinata walked close to the two as she held up a kunai.

"Actually, we knew someone like you would try to take advantage of separations in a team, so we came up with a plan." Over by a tied up Kiba, Akamaru began to chew at the ropes while a Goku Shadow Clone dissipated. A few more cloud ninja were hanging over trees unconscious as a blur flew away from them. "Since you were so close, I knew your team couldn't be far away, so I made two shadow clones. One of the two clones stayed to make sure Kiba got out alright while the other went after your team."

The second clone plopped down beside him as he retrieved the scroll from it. He held up the other team's scroll, bringing fear to their hostage. "They had an earth scroll. That means we still have to look for a heaven scroll." Hinata and Goku returned their gazes back to the unfortunate genin.

Kiba slowly limped over with Akamaru as Goku gave the enemy a knockout punch. Goku turned to the Inuzuka with a smile. "Oh, hey Kiba! Glad your okay." The Inuzuka growled as they told him what he missed.

"Let's dump the scroll and go." groaned Kiba as he began to move onward. Instead of dropping the second Earth scroll, Goku hid it in his shirt. The group made their way through the forest as the sun shone above. Outside the forest, Anko and Haku we're watching over some workers as they began putting away the setups. Anko whistled as she looked to the young Chunin.

"You're definitely doing a good job so far Gaki." complemented Anko. "If things keep going this smoothly, I might just pass on the role of proctor and focus on me for a while." Haku chuckled at his fellow Chunin. A few jonin suddenly landed in front of the duo.

"Lady Anko Nisekuma and Proctor Haku!" shouted one of the jonin. "You have to see this!" The two followed the jonins as they approached a murder scene. Three genin were laying on the ground, their faces seemingly melted off. Anko's eyes widened in shock as Haku glared from behind his mask.

"Who were they?" asked Haku. Anko looked down to the middle body, an odd feeling resonating within her spine. One of the jonin held up a picture of the girl.

"Their faces are missing, but we identified them as a Genin team from the hidden grass village." Anko's eyes widened in realization as it all clicked in her head. The middle one was the Grass nin from before, but this looks like it happened before she met the woman. That could only mean... The image of a sinister smile flashed in her head.

"Only one person operates this way." said Anko as she turned to the group. The jonin looked visibly shaken by that statement. Anko threw her arm to the side, the scowl upon her face more visible. "Sound a silent alarm! Orochimaru has invaded the exams!"

"Do as she says, but inform the Hokage first and foremost." ordered Haku. "As proctor, it is my responsibility to ensure this exam goes off without any outside interference, but have an ANBU squad follow for backup." The jonin nodded as they left to find Hiruzen. Haku turned to head out, but Anko stood in his way.

"I'm going with you. I have a score to settle with that serpent." Haku shook his head in denial.

"In your condition, attacking Orochimaru would be suicide and you have more important things to worry about." Anko's eyes went solemn as she looked down. "Rest assured, you'll get to see his execution personally if he's captured, or you'll get to spit on his grave when I'm finished." Haku rushed off, leaving an angered Anko behind. Back with Goku and the others, Hinata was still craving Goku's dumplings after they were mentioned.

She knew the scent would attract wild animals and other ninja, but she just couldn't help it. Her stomach grumbled as she made up her mind. She sped up as he approached the monkey boy. She tried to find her words as Goku turned to her.

"D...do you think we can get some of those d...dumplings soon Goku-kun?" asked Hinata with a hint of embarrassment. "I k...know you only used that as a fake c...code word, but I can't help myself." Goku chuckled at the heiress's antics. He sensed the surrounding area, then smirked at the void of enemies. He suddenly came to a stop in a clearing.

He pulled out a sealing scroll and a table appeared. Hinata's grin widened as she saw a familiar scroll appeare in the boy's hand. Kiba smacked his lips as Akamaru mirrored the action.

"AW YEAH!" shouted Kiba. "Goku's dumplings! My tastebuds are throwing a party!" Goku unfurled the scroll, and the smell of dumplings exploded into the air. The boy shrugged at his teammates.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about." admitted Goku. "They're just dumplings. Nothing more and nothing less." He didn't get his answer as his friends began to dig in to his delectable dumplings. He gave off an awkward face, but dropped the subject as he also began to chow down.

The group quickly finished the bowls, two of them still amazed by the taste. Goku slurped up the last noodle, before feeling a large energy signature heading their way. Thankfully, he knew exactly what to do. He got up, turned his back to his team, then glared at the origin of the energy. A large bear suddenly ran out of the forest, scaring Hinata and Kiba out of their chairs.

The bear continued its path, but skidded to a halt as Goku held out a hand. It's head met the hand, only for Goku to begin rubbing its chin. The creature instantly began to lick the Saiyan, causing him to laugh. The bear stopped it's affection as Goku pat its head.

"Watch where your running next time, okay big guy? I don't want to hurt you." The bear stood in place as he enjoyed the attention. The other members of Team 8 were stunned at the sight of Goku seemingly taming a giant bear. The bear turned around and slowly walked away.

"What...the heck...was that?" asked Kiba as Akamaru whined. Goku turned to the two with a smile.

"Yogi? He's one of the animals I befriended during my training here." Both teammates gave the boy shocked expressions.

"YOU TRAINED HERE!?" asked both in unison. Goku nodded his head in confirmation.

"No one else in the village was strong enough or free when I was younger, 'cept Grandpa Hiruzen but I wasn't about to mess with his new free time, so I came here for some training. The animals were mean at first, but I've scarred most of them or made friendly agreements with them. Oh! That reminds me! Me and Yogi have a salmon lunch in a few days."

Hinata shook her head with a smile. Only Goku. Kiba suddenly had a thought run through his head.

"So, as long as the creature is from here, we're virtually safe from all the giant animals?" asked Kiba. Goku held his chin as he pondered the Inuzuka's words.

"Basically, yeah." Both the boy's friends looked to each other, feeling lucky to have such an advantage. Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Gaara was covering opponents with sand. The enemy ninja didn't have time to blink as he crushed them with the sand. Gaara overlooked the area where the bodies once laid, and picked up their scroll.

Kankuro and Temari landed next to him as they compared scrolls. Kankuro sighed as it was the exact scroll they were looking for.

"Finally!" shouted Kankuro. "After finding two earth scrolls, we manage to grab the scroll we needed. Now we can get out of this darn forest!" Gaara sent a glare towards the puppet wielder.

"He has a point brother." interjected Temari, drawing the redhead's gaze. "There's really no reason to stay here. If we are to succeed we must make it to our destination by the required date."

"Not yet." said Gaara in a raspy voice. He looked up to the sky, his eyes bloodshot. "More blood! More blood must be spilt!" Temari and Kankuro were shocked by the sudden aggression. "I must have the blood of Goku Toyotomi!"

'The monkey boy?' thought Kankuro. 'What'd he do to get Gaara so wound up?' Kankuro suddenly got an idea as he put his hand on the sand user's shoulder. "He might already be on his way to the next part of the exam. Wouldn't it be better to head there instead of looking throughout the entire forest for him?"

Gaara growled at the boy, but then sighed as his eyes mellowed down.

"That's acceptable, but get in my way and I won't hesitate to kill you too." Gaara took the lead as he hopped from tree to tree. Kankuro followed, but Temari took a glance back for a bit. She then moved on, but hiding in the bush was a group of Shino's bugs. They carefully flew over to their master with both spare earth scrolls within their swarm.

"Good job Shino!" shouted Sakura as the insects dropped the scrolls into the Aburame's hands. He looked over both scrolls before putting them away. "I bet we get a bonus for bringing in two of the same scroll." Sasuke couldn't help but look in the direction of the Suna nin

"Why would he want to kill Goku?" asked Sasuke, anger written on his face. "He's too friendly to make anyone angry without good reason. Sure, he can be a handful at times, but that's no reason to kill him. What could he have done to make that Gaara-kid want to kill him?" Shino put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, a sigh escaping his lips.

 _"People are just like that sometimes Sasuke."_ said Shino over the mind communication insects. _"I bet all it took was a wrong look to make him so obsessed. We need to keep our distance for right now. We don't want to be here after dark."_ Sasuke nodded as her and the rest of Team 7 took off, albeit a slightly different path then the sand trio.

Back with Team 8, the group quickly made their way through the forest, only stopping to rest when needed. They came across many wild animals, but they were either easily warded off by Goku or extremely friendly at the sight of the tailed boy. Hinata was mostly creeped out by the many insects Goku befriended, save for some large butterflies the size of house cats. Kiba felt the excitement at the sight of a giant wolf while Akamaru growled in jealousy. Goku smiled as a group of rabbits flocked around him, trying to bring him down.

"Settle down guys!" shouted Goku. "I've got enough hugs and nuzzles for all of you, but I can't stay long. We're competing in the Chunin Exams, so I'll have to get back on track and find an earth scroll." The rabbits twitched their noses as the saiyan began showering affection on them. Kiba was annoyed by the distraction, but Hinata couldn't help staring at the scene.

It was like something out of a fantasy novel. A handsome boy in the forest being loved by the creatures that called it home. That's some A grade fairytale stuff there. Goku turned his attention to the girl, then held up a grey rabbit. "You wanna pet one Hinata-Chan? They only nibble, and all that does is tickle."

The Hyūga couldn't help it as she saw the adorable eyes of the rabbit. She began petting it, earning a groan from the already annoyed Inuzuka. Kiba stomped over with an oblivious Akamaru following behind.

"Yeah, they're cute." said Kiba, causing the rabbits to scatter. "Glad we've summed that up. Now let's get back on track. We don't have all day and..." Goku suddenly held up his hand after placing the scared rabbit down.

He slowly rose from his spot, his eyes not turning an inch. Hinata sensed the surroundings, then gasped as she felt the dark energy somewhere nearby. From the look on Goku's face, this wasn't anything he knew. Kiba was confused by their actions, but those faces told him things were serious. Goku then turned to Hinata.

"Sasuke and the others are in danger! We have to..." Kiba held up his hands in protest.

"No! We need to be searching for a heaven scroll! We have to keep moving and let them handle it! Besides, they wouldn't be in the Chunin exams if they couldn't deal with this kind of danger." Hinata sent Kiba a glare.

"The danger isn't part of the exams Kiba-san!" shouted Hinata. "The energy coming towards them is nothing but pure malevolent intent. Are you just gonna leave Sasuke to die after he saved your ninja career?" Kiba growled as he looked away, but Goku had already sped off without them. The boy gripped his sword as he flew faster and faster.

Team 7 made way for the location of the next part of the exams at breakneck pace. Sakura jerked back as she threw her arms out. Sasuke and Shino stopped as they heard a rumbling. The tremors grew louder as the origin approached them. They soon saw a pair of reflective eyes staring at them.

The owner of the eyes revealed itself to be a giant snake. It seemed to be longer than the trees were tall. The serpent coiled up as it prepared to strike. Shino sent a huge swarm of mosquitoes into the beast's face, causing it to hiss in pain. The Aburame motioned to the trees with his eyes, letting Sakura and Sasuke know where to go.

The two reached the trees as the snake regained its composure. Sakura quickly shot a large energy blast at the serpent, hitting it straight in the eye. The creature turned to attack them, but the mosquitoes came around for another attack. The serpent swung its tail, knocking Shino into a tree. Sakura prepared an attack, but stopped as she felt something approach the area.

The snake was about to pounce, when another large ki blast hit it on the top of its head, causing it to look upwards. Goku floated midair, bringing shock to the serpent and his sworn brother.

"I don't know where you came from, but around here, I'm the alpha predator!" shouted Goku. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" Goku flew straight at the beast, swinging the large blade. He resembled a top as he slashed the serpent across the cheek. The beast hissed once again as it slammed into a tree.

Sasuke was inclined to watch the fight, interested in Goku's flight technique. Sakura grabbed him under his arms, however, and flew into the air. Another large snake bit down on the branch they once stood, bringing a shocked look to their faces. Sakura put Sasuke down as they landed on another branch.

"How many giant snakes are in this darn forest!?" shouted Sakura in fury.

"As many as I want to summon girl." said a creepy feminine voice. The two turned to see the grass nin from before standing on a parallel branch. "At long last, we finally meet Sasuke-kun." The woman knocked Sakura away as she pushed Sasuke into a nearby tree. "Show me the power of the sharingan."

Sakura growled as she stood back up. She wasn't about to let that creepy woman mess with Sasuke. She sped off through the air, but dodged to the left as the second snake made another attempt to eat her. She groaned as she increased her power. The snake made another go, but the pinkette connected a strong kick.

Meanwhile, Hinata and Kiba were making their way for the battle ground. Hinata practically dragged Kiba along as she raced to Team 7's aid. Akamaru suddenly yelped as he pulled Kiba's hair. The Inazuka boy yelped as his partner continued to pull at his hair. Both Genin stopped as Kiba pulled the ninken off his head.

"What's wrong with you Akamaru!?" shouted Kiba. "Why would you..." He was suddenly lifted into the air by Hinata as an energy blast hit where they stood. Hinata set Kiba down on a branch, the Inuzuka carefully hugging his dog for comfort. She turned to her right as the origin of the attack stood before her.

He was a large, muscular man with blue skin, white hair, and red eyes. He wore red clothing that covers all his body. Above it, he wore white armor with a strange X at the center of it and a brown strap around his neck. The man also wore cape-like pants covering his legs, leaving only a red pair of shoes to be visible. He also wears grey wristbands.

"You will not interfere in our ordeals." said the man as he stood tall. "Leave now and I'll let you live a little longer." Kiba was ready to shout the man down, but Akamaru was trembling in his arms. Akamaru didn't easily scare. Hinata flared her energy, trying to dissuade the attacker.

"We must help our friends." said Hinata, determination in her eyes. "Move or I'll move you myself." The man flared his own energy, sending shockwaves throughout the forest. The heiress felt an overwhelming wave of energy wash over her, her aura like an outline on her body. This man couldn't be human.

"Let's see how much energy you have." The unknown enemy just stood there, his muscles tense as he held his arms to the side. Hinata entered her clan kata as she rushed forward. She tried multiple attacks, but the man just stood there and took the hits. The heiress knew the man was using his ki to weaken the blows, but she had a way to make things slightly easier.

She suddenly cocked her hand back. The man's eyes flashed as he went to strike. He hit her with a straight punch to the gut, but not before she hit his arm. He gasped as he took a few steps back, Hinata dropping to the ground. The man's arm wouldn't move a muscle, even as he pressed more energy into it.

The attacker growled as he looked to the heiress. "What did you do to me!?" Hinata weakly got up, holding her bruised stomach.

"I...it's called the G...Gentle Fist technique. I blocked the chakra running into your arm. S...since you only use the physical aspect a...and haven't learned to use the d...dormant energy spread throughout your body, you will be unable to u...use that arm." The man held an enraged snarl on his face. This weak girl just disabled his good arm!

"You will pay for that Brat!" The man rushes to assault her, but then Akamaru bit his disabled arm. Unnable to rush energy into said ligament, the attack was extremely effective. He reached for the dog, but then Hinata planted a hard punch while he was distracted.

The dog let go as Kiba quickly threw a kunai at the man. He missed his target, but Hinata quickly grabbed the blade out of the air and attempted to slash her opponent. The man grabbed her wrist, however, and threw her to the ground. He was about to send an energy blast into Hinata's chest, but Akamaru once again bit his arm. Kiba then got a cut across the man's face, only to recieve a spinning kick.

Akamaru quickly ran over to his partner as the stranger grabbed his bleeding arm. 'I wasn't prepared for a technique that affects my arm in such a way. This could cause trouble in the future if the girl isn't dealt with. On the other hand, this technique could be of great use in our possession.' The stranger was brought out of his musings as Hinata returned to her feet, ready for another go.

Back with Sakura, she sent a large uppercut into the jaw of the serpent. It almost left the ground as it flipped onto its back, giving the pinkette an opportunity to repeatedly blast the beast in the stomach. The snake landed with a thud, its underside burnt to a crisp. The summon disappeared in a puff of smoke, a sign of its defeat. Sakura sent out another wave of energy, trying to reach out to Goku.

Said monkey boy was pulling his sword out of the first serpent's head as he received the signal. Goku quickly took off to follow Sakura, harboring a strong concern for his sworn brother. Sasuke threw a few kunai at the woman, using his sharingan for improved accuracy. The woman reflected each and every blade, however, and went in for another attack. Sasuke jabbed her in the stomach, then rolled out of the way.

"Though your hits are weak, the ability of the sharingan is amazing." The woman pulled out an earth scroll and hung it in front of the Uchiha's face. "I'm guessing you need this earth scroll to move on yes?" The woman then opened her mouth and swallowed the scroll whole. "You'll have to pry it from my corpse, but please try to make it entertaining Sasuke-kun."

The two repeatedly threw knives and strikes, but Sasuke was being overpowered. The woman kicked Sasuke into a tree, then pinned him with a kunai. She pulled out another blade as a third snake rose behind her. "And here I thought you'd be as strong as that older brother of yours, but I guess I was wrong." Sasuke growled as he tried to free himself.

The snake inched closer, its tongue sticking out as it smelled the anger from the Uchiha. "You don't have as much potential as I thought, so I'll just take your eyes then let my serpent devour you whole." The woman raised her arm as she prepared to strike Sasuke, but the raised hand was burnt by an energy blast. The woman hissed as she grabbed the charred appendage.

"Get away from him!" shouted Sakura as she held her hand out. The woman showed great intrigue as she turned to the pinkette.

"Sakura!" shouted Sasuke from his spot. "Get out of here! This lady's a monster! You don't stand a chance!" Sakura shook her head as she stood her ground.

"She's not even a girl! He's wearing a disguise." Sasuke looked down at the charred hand, then watched as false skin pealed off the appendage. A pale hand was soon visible as the smoke fully cleared. The 'woman' chuckled, his voice becoming more masculine.

"I'm impressed child." said the man. "I didn't think a genin would be able to see through my disguise, so I'll give you props for that. Allow me to reveal my true self for you." He ripped off the skin as he was enveloped in smoke. When the smoke disappeared, the man underwent a full transformation.

The man had long black hair, very pale skin, golden eyes with slitted pupils, purple markings around his eyes and fang-like teeth. He wore plain grey garbs with a black polo and pants underneath, a thick purple rope belt tied in a large knot behind his back, blue tomoe-shaped earrings, and shinobi sandals with bandages around his calves. The man still bore the forehead protector of the woman, a bit burnt from the blast sent by Sakura. The serpent was prepared to strike, but the strange man held up his hand. "Let's see what my newest allies see in you, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura was a bit shocked that someone took interest in her, but shook it off as the man rushed her. He tried to get a few hits in, but Sakura was able to block most strikes and dodge others. The man launched snakes from his outfit, trying to paralyze the pinkette. Sakura quickly shot both serpents out of the sky as she charged her opponent. She hit the man in the gut, but he substituted with a wooden log.

Sakura quickly turned around and blocked a kunai with her own. Her opponent was standing face to face with her, a pleased look on his face. "First you see through my disguise, then you deal a damaging punch, and now you've detected my strike. Not many can say they've faced one of the Legendary Sannin at fifteen percent." Sakura gasped as she hopped backwards.

"That means…" The man chuckled a bit as the giant snake prepared to pounce.

"That's right girl. I am Orochimaru. One of the Legendary Sannin, S-class missing-nin, and Konoha's end. You won't be here to witness the end, however, as my allies seek you for their own purposes. I think I'll find out what makes you so strong before I turn you over though." Sakura flinched as she saw the head of the serpent approaching.

She visibly shook as the beasts fangs approached. Orochimaru delighted at her scream... until the head of the serpent rammed straight into him. He was able to free himself as he went to berate the serpent. The only thing he had to shout at, however, was the aforementioned head. He looked up at the sound of dripping.

Goku stood on the branch of the tree Sasuke was pinned to, the serpent's blood covering his large blade. A small crack that adorned the edge of the blade disappeared as the red substance ran over it. Orochimaru's interest left Sakura as he watched the body of the serpent fall on the ground. He looked into the eyes of the scowling saiyan, seeing the righteous fury within them.

"Don't you touch her snake!" shouted Goku. "I don't care who you are! I'll cut you into tiny pieces and watch you burn!" Orochimaru could only smile at the tailed genin as he pulled out another kunai.

"This years batch is filled with surprises isn't it? So much potential, and so many tests to run once your mine. For all my intel, I have no recollection of a tailed being." Goku readied his blade as he prepared for battle.

"Run back to your hole or I'll show you my Toyotomi pride!" Orochimaru rushed at the saiyan, blood pumping with excitement.

"Then by all means, show me this pride you hold so dear!" Orochimaru swung his blade at the boy, only for it to be blocked by his large blade. The serpent man tried to slither around the blade, but Goku slammed the man against the ground with the weight of his blade. Orochimaru launched some snakes at the saiyan, but he pulled off a similar move to what Sakura did, only increasing the curiosity of the evil sage. The man then began gagging as a snake shot out of his mouth.

Goku was slightly disgusted, but quickly cut the snake in half. "So much power and technique at such a young age. I could've mistaken you for a chunin who entered the exams for kicks, but at your age you're obviously fresh from the academy. Just thinking of how much raw power you'll have in your prime sends shivers down my spine! I could help you to recognize that potential boy."

"You try to kill my friends, attack me, then offer to train me? Thanks but no thanks. My uncle's ten times stronger than you, and that includes the power your not using." Orochimaru's smile didn't fade as he slid a foot back.

"Perhaps I'll give you a sample, if you live through it that is." Goku could feel the added power in Orochimaru, and decided to switch tactics. The man made another snake come out of his mouth, but this one didn't entirely leave. A handle suddenly shot out of the serpent, and Orochimaru pulled the long sword out. The serpent dispersed as Orochimaru wiped his mouth.

"You're disgusting." said Sakura in fear. Orochimaru ignored her as he held out the blade for display.

"This is the legendary Kusanagi: Long Sword of the Heavens. It can extend long distances, and cut through almost anything. Let's see your blade and your will withstand thirty percent of my power." Orochimaru made Kusanagi extend to pierce Goku, but he parried the blade with his own. The boy rushed Orochimaru, clashing blades multiple times.

Back with the rest of Team 8, Hinata was taking full advantage of the stranger's disabled arm, striking it whenever she could. The blue man was furious that such a weak enemy could give him so many problems. He was brought out of his musings as he blocked a kick from the heiress. A kunai struck his blocked ligament, Kiba and Akamaru quickly running behind a tree to hide. These flies were starting to irk him greatly.

"Play time is over!" shouted the man as he grabbed Hinata by the face. He suddenly slammed her into a tree before pinning her in a throat hold. "I tire of these tricks! You die today!" Hinata could only gasp as his hand began to glow.

She closed her eyes, knowing it would be the end.

"That's enough!" shouted a voice. The enemy turned to find a flying kick in his face. Hinata dropped to the ground as the assailant was indented into a tree. The girl slowly opened her eyes to find a purple haired teen standing in front of her. He wore a black trench coat with brown fur lining, a brown belt carrying a sheithed sword, green pants and black shoes.

The man slowly removed himself from the tree as the unknown hero stood before him. "I won't let you harm the time line or the Convergence Mira! Stop this now!" Hinata lifted her brow at the teens words. Mira growled as he grabbed his arm.

"Trunks. Of course you'd show your face at this time." Mira looked to his arm, still unable to move it. He sighed in defeat as he returned his gaze to the purple haired teen. "Another day then." He suddenly flickered as he disappeared.

Trunks wanted to follow, but he still had one detail to deal with. He turned to Hinata, revealing his onyx eyes to her. The teen smirked as he knelt down to eye level.

"You were very brave holding Mira off like that. Your technique sure got under his skin. I guess he's not used to feeling powerless. Anywho, let's get you fixed up." He held his hand out to the girl, revealing a familiar green bean.

Hinata quickly took the senzu bean, remembering well the wonders that came from ingesting the plant. Her wounds miraculously healed as her energy returned to normal. She saw a small bag on the ground before looking up to her mysterious savior. "By the way, I kinda had to knock out your teammate before he got himself killed. He should still be behind the tree with his pet."

Hinata didn't want the man to leave yet. He had an air about him that screamed Toytomi. If he was really a member of Goku's clan, then where did he come from? She couldn't say a thing before he disappeared in a strange light. Disappointed by the missed opportunity, she grabbed the bag and went to pick up her teammate.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru was still slashing away at the young Saiyan. Kusanagi was indeed slowly chipping away at Goku's blade, but the boy didn't falter. The monkey boy sliced Orochimaru's cheek, catching the man by surprise.

The blood on the blade washed over the chipped area, causing it to grow back. This intrigued the Sannin even more.

"Kubikiri Bōchō: the Decapitating Knife, and one of the Seven Swords of the Mist." said Orochimaru as his grin widened to an unhealthy level. "So, you were able to best Zabuza Momochi. I underestimated you boy." Goku growled at the notion.

"It was actually given to me by him." informed Goku. "I promised him it would be by my side, along with someone important to him, when his dream was accomplished as he died." Orochimaru frowned. He wasn't a big fan of the virtuous, promise keeping types.

"Either way, I should finish this and claim what is mine." The sage bit his finger, then placed his hand on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" Three giant snakes popped up behind him as he stood up. "I guess I'll have to study your corpse."

Goku held his sword at the ready as the three snakes rushed him.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Fireball Justu!"shouted Sasuke as he launched a powerful fireball at the first snake. Sakura then leapt into the air.

"Please work." begged Sakura as she charged up an attack. "Rosé Cannon!" The pinkette shot a large pink blast at the second snake, vaporizing its head and carbonizing the rest of its body. The middle one bit down on Goku, but smoke protruded from its mouth. The serpent looked up to see two Goku clones with their hands together.

"Fire Style: Massive Twin Fireball Jutsu!"shouted both Goku clones as they launched two fireballs at the serpent. In a huge explosion, the snake was no more, along with some surrounding trees and other plant life. Orochimaru felt a slight amount of dread at the damage done by the last attack. Had he not slithered to a safe distance, he would've joined the three summons. The trio stared down the sage as they gathered together.

The placement of each member and the difference in personality brought up an old memory for the Sannin. Orochimaru quit reminiscing as he weighed the options. If he could separate them, they'd be easy targets for his curse mark or five elements seal, but he'd already drawn too much attention to the area by battling the genin. If the ANBU ops arrived or worst, the Hokage, they could potentially ruin his plans, but he oh so wanted the power this group possessed. He quickly looked to Sasuke.

'If I can only have one victory today...' thought Orochimaru as he made a wave of snakes pour out of his mouth. The trio tried to fend off the serpents, but none of them saw the extending neck of the sage. Orochimaru's head finally reached Sasuke as he bit the boy on the neck. Sasuke shouted in pain as the sage retracted his head. Goku looked on in horror as Sasuke began to fall to the ground.

"Sasuke!" shouted Goku and Sakura as the Uchiha's body hit the ground. Orochimaru wiped his mouth as he looked upon his good work.

"He's not dead... yet. That was a little parting gift from me. Think of it as a demonstration of what I have to offer. If he lives, you'll see what I mean and flock to my side." The ground shook as Goku turned to the sage.

Orochimaru did something he thought he'd never do in years. He flinched. Goku's eyes were blank as he roared out in rage. Fu flinched as he felt saiyan ki rise from a rage boost, something he's felt from observing other time branches. He could instantly tell that something had gone horribly wrong during the exams.

Orochimaru made his escape as the boy continued to shake the forest with his power. Hinata felt the rushing wave of power, quickly taking off with Kiba and Akamaru still unconscious. A shine filled the saiyan's eyes as he roared in fury. A sudden wave of calm energy filled the battlefield. The saiyan felt all emotion mellow as he swayed from side to side.

Sakura watched as the boy passed out on the ground. She looked among her knocked out allies as the bear Goku had named Yogi approached her. She gave off a scared face, until Yogi nuzzled her cheek. It all suddenly clicked for her as she felt the calming waves resonating from the beast.

"You're a summon aren't you?" asked Sakura. The bear winked at her, a smile on its face.

"Take good care of them young blossom." said Yogi as he turned away. Some rabbits from before hopped over to her, then repeatedly turned. Sakura got the memo as she grabbed the boys. She quickly followed the rabbits. Yogi returned to the forest as the energy dissipated.

Off in the distance, Anko had felt the intense energy swarming from the battleground. She had decided to try and locate Orochimaru on her own, since she knew what energy signature to look for. After that display by the three genin, however, she knew Haku and the ANBU ops would be on the scene immediately. She growled as she picked up on the man's energy signature. She glanced in the direction of the battle before she sped off after the sage.

'I swear, if you did anything to them, I'll personally shove some ki blasts down your sorry throat!' thought Anko as she raced on.

 **We are now officially caught up to where we need to be. It's all new content from here on out. I decided to add in the battle with Mira to give Hinata and Kiba something to do while Goku and the others took on a sannin. Plus, I'm pretty sure you know what's in the bag left by Trunks. Things are just getting interesting as the story continues.**

 **What did you think of the chapter? Did you like the changes made? Are you excited for brand new content? Let me know in a review down below and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. Also, don't forget to leave your vote for th ongoing poll in a review or on the desktop version of my profile. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	15. Wakening Sound, False Demons and Snakes

**Back again. Here it is. The first of the entirely new chapters to come. Get ready, cause the new is on! By the way, this chapter will only focus on Goku and the others in Time Branch 149.**

 **Anywho, let's get on with the chapter. I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Forest of Death, Konohagakure_

Sakura dragged the guys through the forest as she found them a place to hide. She gently laid them down on the ground, placing roots under their heads. She sighed as she looked at the surrounding forest. She could still see the damaged space where they battled one of the legendary Sannin, pushing him as he used 50% of his power. She looked took a minute to at her hands.

The Rosé Cannon had torn her black gloves to shreds, but her hands were unharmed. She wondered if her attack was the main reason the area was decimated. She didn't have much time to think as Goku began to stir. He was by no means awake, but it was nice to know that he wasn't in a coma. He began to mumble, causing her to move closer.

"Hinata-chan..." mumbled Goku in his slumber. "Will you... marry me?" The real Sakura's face went red at those words.

 **'Well well!'** shouted Inner Sakura. **'This is just hilarious! Goku likes Hinata..."** Silence rang through the air.

 _ **"OH GOD!"**_ shouted both Sakuras at once. _**"GOKU LIKES HINATA!"**_ Sakura leapt five feet in the air and floated there. Millions of thoughts zoomed through her head as she tried to grasp what she just heard. The boy Hinata wouldn't stop talking about liked her just as much as she did him.

 **'Welp, that girl's gonna be one happy camper when that boy grows a spine and asks her.'** Sakura mentally smacked her inner self up the side of the head.

'You make it sound like he's a coward!' thought Sakura. 'Did you not see what he did to that snake that almost gobbled us... me up.' She heard a strange laughter from the inner image.

 **'I bet it would've made some nice snake skin boots. Anyway, I'm hungry. Let's get some candy or sneak a kiss from Sasuke~.'** Now it was a full on head punch. Sakura blushed as she shook her head.

'There's no way I'm taking advantage of Sasuke-kun! I'm not that obsessed! What if he wakes up and I ruin every chance I ever had!?' Her inner self groaned, but then a twig snapped. They turned to see one of the rabbits bringing over a carrot, trying to offer it to her.

Sakura smiled as she accepted the vegetable. She chomped down a few times, then looked around. There were still multiple dangers with the boys unconscious, especially if that crazed lunatic returned. She sighed as she looked down at a collection of rabbits. The pinkette suddenly got an idea as she pulled out some ninja wire.

 **'You're strong enough to punch through a boulder. Why do you need to set traps?'** Sakura smirked as she continued her work.

'Can't a girl have her fun?' Her inner self sounded her agreement as she let Sakura do her thing. Meanwhile, Haku arrived at the battlefield. She hadn't seen such destruction in her life. She tried to find any signs of survivors, coming upon a few adult sized footprints heading for the trees.

'I will not allow you to escape Orochimaru.' thought Haku as she took off. She followed the trail, finding spots where the man seemed to slither through the trees. That was a little unsettling, but it wasn't the weirdest thing she could think of. She continued on, finding the trail easier to see as she wore on. Haku suddenly leapt into the air as a giant snake bit down.

The serpent rose to meet the woman as she rested on a branch. It hissed at her, only to be met with several senbon needles to its head. The creature fell limp on the ground before puffing out of the area. The ice ninja grabbed up her weapons as she prepared to continue on. She stopped as she heard chuckling.

She turned to find a multitude of snakes launched at her. Orochimaru smirked as he quickly moved through the trees.

'I cannot afford any more distractions.' thought Orochimaru. 'My plans are too important to stop for some Chunin with needles.' Something suddenly caught his attention. Anko had put her search on hold to take a little rest. 'This, on the other hand, may actually warrant a pause.'

Anko panted as she sat on a root. She quickly took a senzu bean, having twisted her ankle before hand. She sighed as she put her hand on her stomach. She suddenly narrowed her eyes as she pulled out a kunai and threw it at a tree. "Now Anko, is that any way to greet your master?"

Orochimaru hopped down from the tree, a soft smile on his face. Anko growled at the missing nin as she prepared another blade.

"Don't talk like we're friends snake!" shouted Anko. "I was a fool to ever work with you! You sick twisted monster!" Orochimaru didn't falter.

"And what does that make you? A monster's fool, or an abandoned welp?" Anko growled as she rushed forward, leaving Orochimaru in shock as she was right in front of him within seconds. "What the..."

She suddenly kicked him into a nearby tree, leaving an indent of the man. It felt good, until the sannin was replaced by a split log. She turned around to block Orochimaru's blade, earning another surprised look from him. "Today's just full of surprises. First those Genin, and now you. How are you able to so easily detect my presence?"

Anko smirked as she kicked him away.

"You must be slipping, snake." Orochimaru frowned as he rushed her again. Away from the battle, Hinata had searched out Sakura's energy and was now on her way to find her friends. Kiba started to move from the spot on her shoulder, but Hinata was strong enough to keep him straight. She finally got to the trunk Sakura took the guys to hide in.

"Sakura!" shouted Hinata as she began to lower to the ground. "I'm here for..." A pink blur suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Don't land there!" shouted Sakura. She motioned to the trunk with her head. "Fly this way with me. I've got the guys resting." Hinata nodded as they flew into the large stump.

"Goku-kun!" Hinata dropped Kiba and Akamaru into Sakura's arms as she rushed to the saiyan. Sakura grumbled as she laid the two out beside each other. Sakura quickly made her way over to her friend as the heiress knelt down over Goku. "What happened?!"

"We were battling this crazy snake guy when he made a weird bite mark on Sasuke's neck. Goku got so mad he shook the whole forest. All the sudden, this bear summon appears and calms him down with some kind of jutsu. Of course, it also caused Goku to go unconscious, but I didn't want to see another repeat of the bridge." Hinata gulped, knowing full well what Sakura meant.

She sighed as she looked over the saiyan. Sakura suddenly turned the heiress towards her. "You will not believe what I have to tell you Hinata! It will blow your mind!" Hinata gave Sakura a weird but serious look.

"What?" Sakura took her hands off the heiress then gestured to Goku.

"Monkey king over here asked you to marry him in his sleep!" Silence filled the air as Hinata let the pinkette's words process. She suddenly blushed as she threw her hands behind her right side.

"WHAT?!" Sakura smirked as she stood up.

"I know! Isn't it great?! The guy you won't stop talking about likes you!" Hinata mumbled to herself as she let this information filter. "So, you gonna ask him out after the exams?"

"I...I can't a...ask G...Goku-kun out! I...I'd faint b...before I c...could say a w...word!" Sakura shook her finger.

"You doubt yourself too much Hinata. You've got more courage then I do. Plus, you can just write him a letter so he can read it himself." Hinata looked down at the boy with a blush. This news confirmed all her wonders from the food sharing to the tail thing and even to the sudden honorific.

Could she really ask Goku out though? The chance to mess up the team dynamic was still in play. She was about to answer, when some new energies caught her attention. Sakura didn't need to hear a word as she too felt the three malevolent energies. Sakura quickly stood in front of the exit, finding three ninja from the sound village standing before them.

The first was a man that had bandages covering most of his face, leaving only his left eye uncovered. He also wore a large poncho with long sleeves, a snake patterned scarf around his neck, a straw raincoat protruding from the back of his scarf, and a large gauntlet on his right arm. His back was hunched, which made him look smaller than he actually was. Sakura looked to the gauntlet on his arm. It was clearly a weapon of some sort.

The next was a man with spiky, black hair and dark eyes. He wore a beige shirt with two black stripes and three prints of the kanji for death down the front. His forehead protector had an attached happuri under the cloth rather than connected to the metal plate. He wore a snake-patterned scarf similar to the first one's around his neck. Sakura noticed no visible specialties, but it was entirely possible that he had hidden dangers.

The last one was a girl with fair skin, black eyes with very long black hair, almost reaching down to the ground, tied by a violet ribbon right near the end. She wore a forehead protector, a pale green vest somewhat similar to a flak jacket, and snake patterned pants and scarf, much like her teammates. Sakura didn't like the look of things. These guys suddenly showing up while her teammates and friends were down made things worst. She could only hope Hinata was ready for if her traps failed.

"Look what we have here guys." said the second one. "That's the girl we saw with the Uchiha." The girl nodded to her teammate.

"We know that Zaku." said the girl. "We're not blind. In any case, what should we do with her Dosu? Should we kill her to send a message?" The first one, now identified as Dosu, hummed in response.

"Actually Kin, she might know the location of Sasuke Uchiha." said Dosu. He took a few steps forward, getting increasingly close to one of Sakura's traps. "Now be a good little girl and tell us where Sasuke is. We just wanna know what makes our boss so interested in him." This made Sakura frown.

"What did Orochimaru do to Sasuke-kun!?" shouted Sakura. "That weird mark on his neck definitely isn't like any bite I've seen." Dosu's eye widened at Sakura's statement.

'Lord Orochimaru marked Sasuke with a heaven seal? Now I have to see what makes him so special.' He lifted his foot as he prepared a threat. "You're gonna tell us where the Uchiha is or..." He stopped as he stepped on a wire.

He looked to his left to see a huge tree flying towards him. He knelt down as it soared past him. It suddenly stopped mid air before moving back. "You missed." He was proven wrong when the tree knocked him into another one on its return trip.

Zaku growled as he rushed forward. On his fifth step, however, he fell into a pit. He tried to run up the wall, but he screamed in pain as he stepped on some very long spikes. He fell back to the ground, pulling off his sandals in order to rub his injured feet. Kin shook her head as she slowly walked forward.

She quickly made her way through multiple traps. Sakura became worried as the girl set off most of her traps. Kin smirked as she was so close to Sakura. The pinkette's face told her that there were no more traps, so she put her foot forward. Sakura smirked as Kin was flung into a tree by some explosives.

The pinkette's smirk continued as her enemies tried to recover. Back with Anko, she was floating in the air as she shot multiple energy blasts at Orochimaru. The snake man was surprised that his old student was doing so well. She was even flying and firing energy at him like those two Genin with Sasuke. The conclusion, someone's teaching people abilities that he hasn't heard of.

"You impress me dear Anko." admitted the sannin. "I didn't think you could ever get this strong. Tell me, who taught you such outstanding techniques?" Anko growled as she charged up her energy.

"I'd take his teachings to the grave before I ever tell you!" Orochimaru snickered as he pointed at a specific part of her.

"But could you take it to their graves?" Anko flinched as she blocked his fist with both hands. He held her against a tree as he pocked her stomach. "Going on a suicide mission when you're expecting twins? My my, what an awful mother."

Anko cringed as he brought his head closer to her neck. "I wonder if they'll be able to survive the mark like their mother." He prepared to bite down, when a hand harshly grabbed his throat. Fu, not wearing the dragon mask, squeezed harder before throwing the sannin through a few trees. Anko fell to her knees, tears rolling down her eyes.

"Are you alright?" asked Fu. Anko couldn't take it anymore as her emotions ran wild.

"I... I should've never came out here!" shouted Anko as she continued to bawl. "I risked their lives, and for what!? Stupid revenge! I... I..." She was cut off by a passionate kiss from Fu.

He quickly pulled his head back as he wiped her tears.

"Anko Mitarashi Nisekuma. I don't wanna hear you ever talk like that ever again. The terrors you faced working with that psycho would make anyone do stupid things. Even with something so stupid, however, you were able to think of their safety. The thing to remember is that it's no longer just your fight."

Orochimaru slowly rose from one of the trees. He stood up, multiple pains in his back. Fu turned to the snake, his sword unsheathed. "It's my fight too, and you! Don't you ever touch my wife again!"

Orochimaru glared at the man. Once again someone defies his knowledge. He was pretty sure a purple skinned male would instantly show up on his radar, let alone one with that strong a grip. It normally wouldn't matter, but something was different about the stranger. The sannin drew a kunai, ready to fight.

"I will do what I please with my student." said Orochimaru. "Who are you to demand of a sannin?" Fu suddenly disappeared, making Orochimaru take a step back. He backed up into something, however. He turned to find Fu, his face still hardened in rage.

"I'm the man who's going to end you." The sannin leapt up to a tree, unable to detect or see his opponent. He turned to receive a fist to the face. He sent several snakes at the false demon, but Fu quickly cut all of them in half with one slash. Orochimaru threw a few kunai at him, only for them to suddenly disappear.

Fu instantly dropped crushed kunai from his hand as he continued with his assault. Meanwhile, with the Genin, Hinata couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the three enemies regather back where they once stood. Dosu grabbed at his side, Zaku lightly stepped to avoid as much pain as possible, and Kin was holding her head in pain. The three looked across the proverbial mine field, wondering just how many traps the pinkette placed.

Sakura knew the answer was not much more, but she kept her calm demeanor. Zaku shifted to his right foot as he gave his teammates an incredulous look.

"This girl is crazy!" shouted Zaku. "I have five wounds in each foot. FIVE. FRICKIN. WOUNDS!"

"At least your hair isn't ruined!" shouted Kin. "Everything I see is kinda blurry. Ooh! Dosu is that blood!" The leader rolled his eyes.

"No." sarcastically said Dosu. "My Coolaid pack got squished when the fifty foot log ran into my frickin side! What do you think it is!?" The two blinked at their leader.

"What's Coolaid?" They asked in unison. Dosu growled as he turned to Sakura.

"I'm through playing games! Tell us where Sasuke is now! I won't be as nice to you!" Sakura stood her ground as she flared her power.

"I won't let you lay a hand on him!" shouted Sakura. The three enemies were stunned by her visible chakra. Dosu smirked as he drew back his arm.

"Fine by me. We get to do this the fun way." Sakura lifted her hand to launch an energy blast at him, but he threw a punch at her. What confused her was that he didn't leave his spot. Hinata looked down to see Goku covering his ears in pain.

Sakura gasped as she repeated the action. Hinata watched as her friend almost fell to her knees. Not waiting another second, the pinkette shot an energy blast at Dosu. He dodged to the right as he threw another punch. Sakura once again found herself covering her ears.

Kin suddenly jumped behind her and grabbed her hair. Dosu at his teammate as she had the girl pinned. "Nice work Kin. Now hold her still." Kin smirked as she pulled tighter.

"I can't believe they let such a weakling become a ninja." said Kin. "She even carries around such a huge liability." Hinata was ready to defend her friend, but she saw Sakura raise a kunai.

'I don't care about my frickin hair.' thought Sakura. 'I won't let you...' her eyes darkened as she swiped the blade.

 ** _'HURT SASUKE!'_** shouted both Inner and Outer Sakura as she cut her own hair. Hinata was shocked as Kin stumbled back. She actually ran into another trap, once again flinging her into a tree. Sakura's normal white aura was replaced by a strange pink one. She smirked as Dosu brought his arm back.

She suddenly stood in front of the attacker as she held his fist in place. He tried to shake her off, but it was like trying to fight his way out of a vice grip. Sakura gave off a devious smirk as she squeezed his hand.

"You having fun now?" Dosu started screaming as he reached for a kunai. Sakura quickly threw him into a tree before throwing an energy attack at him. Dosu screamed more as the blast connected. Sakura attacked Dosu with multiple combinations, finishing with a kick to the gut. She was about to finish him off, when two sound blasts rushed into her ears, causing her to scream as she fell on her knees.

"You took your sweet time Zaku." Zaku was seen with both hands extended forward, tubes showing up in his hands.

"What can I say?" asked Zaku as he shrugged. "I enjoyed seeing you get beat by a girl." Dosu groaned as he grabbed his bleeding side. Sakura had fractured a few ribs, causing the injury to worsen.

"If the boss didn't want you and the Uchiha alive I'd kill you this second." Sakura silently laughed to herself. "What's so funny?" She looked up to him, the white of her eyes still dark.

"You'll never be better than Sasuke snake kisser. Your boss sees him in a better light than you." Dosu was tired of the pinkette, and kicked her to the ground. Consequences, smonshequences. He was finishing her now. He drew his fist back to attack, when he suddenly lost all feeling in his arm.

Neji kicked Dosu to the side before launching two hand shaped blasts at the other sound nin. He looked back to Sakura.

"Stay down." said Neji. "Fate smiles upon you this day." A million thoughts ran through Sakura's head as Neji stood guard over her.

 **'What a hunk!'** shouted Inner Sakura, making outer Sakura's eyes return to normal.

'WHAT THE HECK DID YOU JUST...' started Sakura before she had to cover her ears again. Neji jumped as he avoided Zaku's sound blasts. He threw two more of the hand blasts at Zaku, basically slapping the man in the face. He suddenly heard ringing as a senbon was thrown at him. He turned to see Kin, but there were three of her.

"Let's see you try this on for size." said all three of Kin, but there was only one voice behind it. Neji shot three hand blasts forward, but all three of his opponent hopped over the attack. They repeatedly dodged his attacks as they ran his way. Neji growled, but he suddenly felt a familiar tingle. Unleashing a bit of energy, he found that the three of them began to merge into one.

Taking advantage of his opponent's blunder, he blasted the center of the mass, hitting Kin directly in the chest. Back with Orochimaru, the Sannin could say that the purple man was no fool. Fu was clearly a master ninja, and perhaps the origin of these new techniques the Genin were displaying. He had never seen someone so in tune with his techniques and blade. Fu was, however, very similar to his new allies in a way.

The only thing separating him from them was his purple skin, but that wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. What did matter, however, was that his newest allies were possibly holding out on him. He wasn't very pleased about being taken on a ride. He was going to learn everything he could about those two when he got back. The Sannin was brought out of his musings as Fu sent him another gut punch.

"If this is the power of the Sannin then I'm disappointed." mocked the Nisekuma patriarch. "Jiraiya didn't have much more power than you, but even he was more of a challenge. You couldn't even beat a weak Saibaman if you tried." This immediately brought a scowl to the serpent's face. He didn't know what a Saibaman was, but being called weaker than Jiraiya?

He quickly spat out the Kusanagi as he readied his assault.

"You'll regret that comment brat." spat Orochimaru venomously. "You'll see just how vast my power and knowledge is." Orochimaru swung his blade as he tried to kill the false demon. He only hit thin air as he slashed an afterimage. His eyes were wide a saucers as Fu kicked him in the side.

Quickly recovering, the Sannin clashed swords with the man multiple times. Not even a scratch appeared on Fu's blade, only increasing Orochimaru's anger. 'How can this be!? Kusanagi is able to cut through any material!' The Sannin suddenly gained a cut across his other cheek as Fu slashed at him.

Orochimaru rolled across the ground for a bit before bumping into a tree. He looked up as the Nisekuma slowly walked towards him. The Sannin was clearly out of his league for the moment, and he still had a plan to set in motion. There was only one thing he could do. He chuckled as he looked his attacker in the eyes.

"What's so funny snake?" Orochimaru let a wild look appear on his face.

"To think you're dealing with me when you have more pressing matters to attend to." This earned a raised brow from Fu. "Your wife is completely defenseless. She's the perfect target for my allies to gain some energy." Fu's eyes widened as he turned to Anko, feeling a more powerful presence approaching.

He felt Orochimaru slip away, but the Sannin was correct. The Nisekuma growled as he flew for his beloved.

'Next time I'll have your head snake! Just you wait!' Meanwhile, Sakura was slowly rising from the ground. She watched as Neji battled Kin and Dosu. She had to admit that Neji could hold his own pretty well.

Her eyes widened as she looked around. The third member, Zaku she believed, was nowhere in sight. She got up to her feet as she tried to find the man. Two hands were placed on her ears as Zaku got the drop on her.

"Stop!" shouted Zaku. The three fighters turned to the duo. "One more move and I'll turn her brains to mush!" His teammates smirked as Neji growled. How could he have let one of them get to Sakura?

Neji started to charge energy, but Zaku sent pain to Sakura's ears. "I'll do it! I'll kill her right now!" Dish's smile turned into a frown.

"We need her alive you idiot!" shouted Dosu. "Do you want to feel lord Orochimaru's wrath!?" Zaku didn't give his leader any mind as he increased the volume of his sound waves. Before he could do any more damage, however, Hinata sent him flying with a kick. He looked up to Hinata in rage.

"You won't lay another finger on my friend!" shouted Hinata. She suddenly sent a volley of chakra blasts at the enemy as Neji resumed his assault on the other two. Zaku couldn't believe the pain he was feeling as the low powered attacks continued to ram into him. He had to find a way through these attacks or he might not make it. Hinata slowed her assault as she tried to catch her breath.

In front of her was the smoldering crater made by her attack. She aimed to incapacitate the enemy, but this once she wouldn't mind if he didn't walk away from the attack at all. Being around Goku so long, the girl had picked up on his philosophy. No one was going to hurt her precious people as long as she had breath in her lungs. She turned to check on Sakura, when Zaku launched powerful sound waves into her ears.

"Hinata!" cried Sakura. Zaku wouldn't let up as made the sound waves dance around Hinata's head.

"That's it!" roared Zaku. "I don't give a crap anymore! I'm killing every Konoha ninja I see, starting with White Eyes!" Hinata grabbed at her ears, but the sounds pushed through every nook and cranny of her hands as Zaku pumped the volume up to eleven. The poor heiress fell to her knees as blood started to leak out of her ears. Neji tried to stop the enemy, but Kin and Dosu kept him from getting any further.

Inside the hiding place, Goku's tail tightened around his waist. His hand clenched as a powerful aura began to surround him. Hinata suddenly screamed, unable to bare the pain anymore. Blank eyes opened as a shadow widened the entrance of the hideout.

All went silent as the sound of slicing metal rang through the air. Hinata slowly moved her hands away from her ears. She thought that she had gone deaf, but Kin's scream told her otherwise. The heiress looked up, almost screaming herself. Goku stood before her, his sword pierced through Zaku's torso.

He was still unconscious, if the lack of pupils were anything to go off of. The monkey boy removed the blade, allowing the enemy's corpse to fall to the ground. In a split second, Goku knocked Kin to the side as he held Dosu by the neck. Seeing he was outclassed, the leader dropped his team's scroll to the ground.

"My idiot friend lost his mind." choked Dosu as he wriggled in the saiyan's grasp. "Just take the scroll and let's forget this whole thing ever happened." Goku's face didn't change as he tightened his grip.

"You...hurt...Hime." growled the unconscious Saiyan. He suddenly gathered energy in his hands, preparing to blast the sound nin's neck. "You...die." Dosu closed his eyes as he prepared for the end.

"GOKU-KUN!" cried Hinata. Goku's eyes returned to normal as the energy died down. He dropped Dosu in surprise, unsure of how he even got up in the first place. The saiyan turned to the others, shocked by the scene before him. Hinata's tears were what got to him the most.

"Hinata-chan?" asked Goku in confusion. Why was she crying? He looked to Zaku's corpse on the ground. The answer to his question became clear as day as he saw the fresh blood on his sword. Goku fell to his knees as he felt the weight of his actions on his shoulders.

Kin shook her head as she exited her stupor. This tailed kid just showed up out of nowhere, then Zaku ends up dying and her leader is unconscious. Why didn't lord Orochimaru go after this kid? The one thing Kin knew was that this kid was a clear threat to the plan. She pulled out a senbon needle as she prepared to take out the saiyan.

A sudden knock out chop from Neji put a swift end to that plan. The others gathered around as Goku remained in his spot. They barely recognized their long time friend as he stared into space. A sudden dark energy filled the air. All available eyes turned to the entrance to the hideout, seeing Sasuke emerge with a villainous look.

This look instantly died when he laid eyes on his sworn brother. Never had he seen Goku so distraught than this very moment. The sight unnerved him more than the monkey boy's anger did. The only sign he had that the boy was still alive was when he blinked.

"I... I killed someone. Unconscious." Goku finally noticed the heiress in front of him, expecting her to flat out hate him. Instead, however, Hinata quickly embraced the saiyan. He let his tail fully surround her waist as he shed tears.

"It's okay Goku-kun." reassured Hinata. "It's over now." Neji quickly slumped Dosu over his shoulder as Lee and Tenten arived. They were about to comment, only to stiffen up at a glare from Neji. The branch Hyuga motioned to Kin, Lee getting the message as he picked the girl up.

Sasuke got the memo as he slowly approached his sobbing friend. He gave Hinata a little more time with the boy before clearing his throat.

"We have to get moving." said Sasuke as the two departed from one another. "There's no telling how long we have until those two wake up and we still have to get to the end of the forest by tomorrow. I've already sent a few clones to give some of our left over scrolls to allies that need them." The mark on Sasuke's neck burned at his generosity, but right now his primary concern was his sworn brother. Goku unfurled his tail from Hinata's waist as they both stood up.

The group moved as a combined unit, Goku and Hinata taking a back seat as Sakura lead them towards their destination. The duo felt a strong connection between each other as they walked almost in sinc. Hinata stuck close to the saiyan to comfort him, Goku happy to have it. Said monkey boy didn't even bother to stop his tail when it wrapped around the heiress's hand. A light caught their eyes as they arrived as the building.

Team Guy moved ahead first. Their scrolls suddenly shook around before popping open. Guy stood before his team, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"I am so proud of you my youthful Genin!" cried Guy as tears fell from his eyes. "You proved me right by making it all this way in the Chunin Exams! The flames of youth burn brightly with..." The Jonin suddenly blinked as he saw the knocked out Genin his team was carrying. "May I ask who they are?"

"These two are what's left of a team from Otogakure." answered the prodigy. "They work under Orochimaru, the S-rank missing nin and one of the three Sannin." Guy's eyes widened in response. "We believe he has infiltrated the exams, though his motives remain unclear."

The Jonin's face turned stone hard as two ANBU appeared nearby. They quickly took the Genin from Team Guy before taking off just as quickly as they appeared. Guy continued to talk of youth as he lead his team along. Team 7 were next to go up, Kakashi congratulating them for a job well done. Goku heard one of them mention Orochimaru, but he couldn't hear the rest as Kakashi lead the team along, sticking close to the Uchiha heir.

"What happened!" shouted Kiba as he suddenly shot up. Akamaru whirled around as he also woke up. The Inuzuka suddenly turned and pulled a kunai out. "Alright lavender head! No one messes with..."

Kiba quickly looked around for a bit, Akamaru sounding his embarrassment. "Where'd that strange man go and how did we get here?" Goku tilted his head as Hinata quickly moved her hand away from his tail. She approached Kiba as he turned to them.

"W...we should worry about it later." objected Hinata as she pointed to the gate. "We n...need to head for t...the next part of the exam." Kiba suddenly perked up as he grabbed Hinata's hand. Goku suddenly felt the urge to punch Kiba in the face.

"Come on then! Chunin here I come!" Kiba and Akamaru ran forward, pulling Hinata along. Goku quickly caught up as their scrolls suddenly popped open. Kurenai stood before them, though her face was more filled with worry than pride. She suddenly approached them as she looked them over.

"Are you alright!?" asked the Jonin as she looked over the few injuries they had. "I heard from Kakashi and the ANBU about Orochimaru! I know that at least one of you was part of that massive explosion earlier! He didn't hurt you did he!?" Goku smiled at his sensei's motherly attitude towards them.

Kiba, however, frowned in anger. He growled as he pushed her hand off his head.

"We're fine." growled Kiba. "We're kick butt ninja. Don't treat us like babies." Kurenai gave the Inuzuka a soft glare before turning to Hinata and Goku. The Jonin could tell that something was on the saiyan's mind, but Hinata quickly stepped forward and recalled the events right up to the battle with the Oto nin.

Kurenai let the news sink in for a bit. No doubt Sasuke had Orochimaru's cursed seal on the bite area, but that couldn't be the serpent's only motive. What surprised her the most were the two unknown fighters and the bag of senzu beans. The blue skinned one was clearly a threat, but the lavender haired one was a mystery to her. She shook her head as she looked to her team.

"While I do not condone leaving your team behind like that, you did the right thing rushing to team 7's aid Goku." The monkey boy nodded to his sensei, keeping his eyes on the ground. Kurenai returned her attention to the heiress before her. "You mentioned that you brought back two of the enemies. What happened to the third?"

Goku clenched his hands, hoping the memory wouldn't be brought up. Hinata's ended the tension and looked up to her sensei.

"He was disposed of." answered the heiress. The Jonin raised her brow. She could tell there was more to it than that, but the look on Goku's face told her the rest. She nodded as she turned to the building.

"Very well. Head inside and rest for the day. Tomorrow the next part of the exams will begin." Kurenai smiled softly as she turned to Goku. "I'm so proud of you guys."

Goku softly smiled as his team moved on. Back with Fu, he tore through a being in strange armor as he defended his wife. He looked around at the carnage before slowly turning to Anko. He suddenly began to charge an energy blast, receiving a nod from the snake woman. She leaned to the right as her husband plunged the orb into the last enemy, incinerating him.

Both breathed heavily as they sensed the surrounding area. No enemy signatures could be detected. This would normally be a sign of relief, but the thought that Orochimaru was still at large gave Anko cause for concern. The woman growled as she punched a nearby tree.

"Darn it!" roared the pregnant Kunoichi. "The snake got away!" Fu sheathed his sword as he approached his wife. He quickly wrapped his arms around Anko, calming her down almost immediately.

"It's alright." reassured the head Nisekuma. "The important thing is that you and the kids are alright." Anko sighed and looked down in response. It was a miracle she married such an understanding guy, otherwise she'd have her head chewed off for fighting a Sannin while pregnant. In all honesty maybe she deserves a good scolding and a few blows to the head.

She suddenly felt a pinch on her arm, yelping as she released herself from Fu's embrace. "You're thinking of hurting yourself again. I told you not to do that." Anko shook her head as she looked away.

"Orochimaru is bound to show himself again. I've sensed the mark on Sasuke Uchiha, but that can't be his only motive for being here. That snake has been gunning for Konoha for years." Her husband nodded as he walked over to her. He suddenly picked her up bridal style, earning a yelp from the snake woman.

"In any case, let's get you to the end of the forest so we can watch Goku kick some tail." Anko deadpanned at the obvious pun, but nevertheless conceded as Fu took off.

 _Unknown Location_

Mira sat on a medical bed as he awaited treatment. He looked down at his still inactive arm. A weakling had done this much damage to him with a single strike, leaving his arm vulnerable to several blades and dog bites sent his way. He growled as he saw wounds that were not meant to be there. He was about to strike the bed, when a soft hand rested upon his arm.

"Now that's a little extreme don't you think Mira?" asked a feminine voice. The warrior turned to see the woman from the beginning of the second exam. Only now her skin and hair matched his, her eyes were red, and she wore an outfit similar to his. The woman placed a large scepter down as she moved to his other arm. She quickly got to work as she healed the wounds on it.

"A weakling such as that girl should not have been so difficult." argued Mira. "A technique like what she used could very well be a threat to our mission Towa." The woman, now identified as Towa, nodded as she grabbed some acupuncture needles. She stuck one into Mira's shoulder, releasing the flow of energy into his arm.

"It could, however, be to our advantage Mira. The boy we affected years ago was from the same clan as her. He should know the same technique, and he already proved that he was easy to manipulate." Towa quickly began bandaging the man's arm, a devious smirk on her face. "I'm also intrigued by these abilities that run through the very people of this planet."

Mira gave his partner a raised brow. "All it would take is their potential being unlocked and they could have achieve an innate power, only available to those who share the same blood. Having such abilities in our ranks could be very useful." Mira hummed his agreement, but quickly turned his head as a presence entered the room. Towa turned as well to see Orochimaru approach them.

The cuts and bruises all over his body caught the woman's attention. Wasn't this guy one of the most powerful warriors around? She shook her head as she grabbed her scepter. "What happened to you?" Orochimaru kept his signature smile as he looked to the duo.

"Some very interesting information made itself apparent to me as I completed phase one of the plan." answered Orochimaru as Mira stood up. "Two people accompanying Sasuke Uchiha were able to fly and shoot energy from their hands. That's not all." The way the Sannin said that last sentence caught the duo's attention. "My old student was able to do so as well, and her husband seemed to be the origin of these abilities."

"So one of Konoha's ninjas has been teaching shinobi to use the full extent of their energy?" asked Mira, intrigued by the prospect of a descent fight coming from this world. Orochimaru chuckled as he looked the duo in the eyes.

"The most interesting part is that this man looked extremely similar to you two, save for his purple skin and different style." This shocked the duo. Someone like them in this world and time? That shouldn't be possible. "It seems that you've been keeping information from me."

Mira was prepared to fight, but Towa raised her hand as she approached the serpent.

"We only withheld information because we thought you wouldn't be able to comprehend our origins." informed the woman with a smile. "We are denizens of the Demon Relm from the far future. Our mission is to gather energy to break the barrier separating our relm from the mortal one. Traveling through time and changing history seems to be the fastest way to obtain this energy." Mira stepped next to the woman, his power flaring in intimidation.

"Now do you understand how futile it would be to..." started Mira before the Sannin began to laugh. The serpent continued for a while before a huge grin plastered his face.

"You misread my thoughts on the matter." said Orochimaru. "At first I was displeased with being lied to, but after all that has just been said? I couldn't be more pleased to have the Mangekyō Sharingan delivered to me. Having access to different times and different worlds provides new techniques the world will probably never see. I would be an undisputed genius!"

Mira remained in his spot as he readied to protect Towa, but the woman moved to the side a bit to be able to look the Sannin in the eyes.

"And your point is?" asked the woman. The serpent entered a respectful bow as he looked to his adversaries.

"The alliance just got an extension." Towa's red eyes seemed to glow in satisfaction.

* * *

 **I know this chapter is kind of short for the long time it took to write it, but I hope it was worth the wait. Anywho, Sakura has shown a new side of herself along with a major power boost. Dosu's team is out with Goku killing Zaku. Also, Sasuke was able to resist the temptation of the curse mark due to Goku's condition. Finally, Orochimaru got his but kicked by Fu but gained some intel that sealed his alliance with Towa and Mira.**

 **I want to remind you guys about the poll for Naruto's pairing in this story. All characters in the poll will have a major role in the Dragon Ball side of the story should they be paired with Naruto. I will also stress that the end of the exams will be the end of the poll, meaning that once we get to the point where Naruto and Jiraiya went to find Tsunade, the girl for our favorite blonde jinchuriki will be finalized. If you have any suggestions I will take them into consideration, but not all girls will be able to fit in my plans for the story. Anywho, remember to vote and review. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	16. Truth of the Toyotomi, Prelims Begin

**Back again! We're coming up on the preliminary rounds. Things are definitely going to be different with Dosu's team out for the count. We also can't forget the presence of a certain unexpected group.** **With that out of the way, let's answer some reviews.**

 **Guest (1): Thanks for your vote. The bio-android idea sounds neat, though you'll have to wait for confirmation from the other two.**

 **Guest (2): You'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Dandy Wheat: The story isn't going anywhere. I just needed to put everything on hold for finals.** **As for your other reviews:**

 **Chapter 11) You'll just have to remain patient and see.**

 **Chapter 12) Sadly not on the other half, but stay tuned on the first one.**

 **One last thing before we begin. I'm sure you've read by now that the poll for Naruto's pairing states that it'll be the first girl to reach 15 votes overall or by the end of the Chūnin Exams. I want to clarify that I label the attack on Konoha by Orochimaru and Suna to be the last chapters to the Chūnin Exams. That means you have till the search for Tsunade to vote for which girl steals Naruto's heart.** **Without further ado, let's get on with the chapter.**

 **I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I do own OC techniques and characters.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Forest of Death, Konohagakure_

Kurenai lead her team through the building as they approached the arena. They still had a day to go in this part of the Chuunin exams, but that didn't mean she couldn't show her team where they would be convening for the next exam. She looked back at her motley crew, taking note that Goku was still walking in the back. She frowned at this, but she didn't blame him. These exams were meant to be tough, but running into an S-class criminal?

She shuddered at the thought of even meeting Orochimaru, let alone facing him and three of his subordinates. The latter seemed to be the main reasoning behind his sorrowful mood. The question was, why? Was he too late to save an ally, or was it something about how the third subordinate died? The cues told Kurenai that Goku had done the deed, but wouldn't one take pride in saving their precious people? Her thoughts were cut off as she noticed Kakashi approach them.

"Kakashi-san." greeted the Jonin. Kakashi nodded as he looked over the team behind Kurenai.

"Lord Hokage has called a meeting of the council, and the Jonin instructors of the teams involved with the 'incident' in the forest have requested to join immediately." Kurenai nodded as she looked to her team.

"I want you to head to the guest hall and get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow." The team sounded their agreement as their sensei took off with Kakashi. Kiba went to grab Hinata's hand, but Goku quickly moved and grabbed the appendage first. He started to drag her along, but Kiba suddenly squeezed his tail slightly.

"The guest rooms are that way genius." informed Kiba as he pointed towards a hallway. Goku blushed as he walked in the right direction, Hinata still in his grasp. Meanwhile, Kurenai and Kakashi enter the room where the meeting was held, shouts of outrage and disapproval already high in the air. Noticing their arrival, Hiruzen took in a deep breath.

"BE QUIET!" roared Hiruzen, his head seeming ginormous as the council members complied. Hiruzen rubbed his temples as the newest arrivals found their seats. He took a more shallow breath as he looked around the room. "Now, there are several reasons this meeting has been called. First and foremost, we must deal with Orochimaru's presence in Konoha."

Danzo leaned forward in his seat as he looked to the Hokage.

"I believe the more important matter, lord Hokage, is the cursed mark on the Uchiha heir." argued the bandaged elder. "We cannot ignore the dangers of leaving such a mark on the finest shinobi of his generation." Hiruzen sent a hard glare the man's way.

"If you'd be patient, Danzo, we will be discussing the matter after we attend to more pressing details." There was a loud protest beginning to rise in the civilian council. The Hokage's glare seemed to multiply as he widened his target range. "Do I make myself clear?" The shinobi council smiled as their civilian counterpart shrunk back in silence.

Hiruzen sighed as he returned to business. "Fu Nisekuma confronted Orochimaru an hour after the serpent battled three of our Genin, but he got away using Anko Mitarashi Nisekuma as a distraction." He glanced at the civilians to keep any outbursts at bay. "Despite this information, I have already determined that the exams will continue as planned." A member of the civilian council pointed an accusing finger at their leader.

"Are you insane!?" cried the woman. "The exams need to be called off! We can't let our children participate when that traitor is on the loose! My poor Sakura had to keep her team and that bumbling ape safe all by herself!" Kurenai stood straight as she leveled a glare at the council woman.

"That 'bumbling ape' made sure she was alive to even look after her team." growled the woman. "Plus, that daughter of yours is strong enough to take care of herself." The woman began to stand up, but an ANBU quickly stood in her way.

"Sit." ordered Hiruzen in a calm but powerful voice. The councilwoman reluctantly complied out of fear. "If we cancel the Exams, Orochimaru will run rampant and potentially destroy Konoha. Would you rather watch your daughter fight in the exams or the entire village end up in flames?" Normally, Danzo would be pleased that the Hokage would choose the right move, but the fact that he raised a blade to the civilian council made his blood boil.

Ever since the Nisekuma clan came into the picture, Hiruzen had grown more bold and had been more adept in finding his hidden documents. It was those signed papers that added power to the civilian council, but now they were either being shredded or changed to meet the Hokage's ideal Konoha. He was so close to finding the location of the Namikaze child before all this began. He mentally cursed it all as Kakashi took center stage.

"I believe the next bit of business is the two mysterious fighters the rest of Team 8 encountered?" guessed the cyclops ninja. The Hokage nodded, thankful for the change in subject.

"More specifically the blue skinned enemy. I was informed by one of my newer ANBU that the lavender haired one is an ally. Seeing his track record and experience, I have no reason to distrust him. Silverback." An ANBU with a silver ape mask suddenly appeared by the Hokage's side.

"I will take it from here lord Hokage." acknowledged the ANBU in a familiar voice. "The blue skinned enemy is known as Mira. He and his main ally, Towa, have been known to cause destruction on a large scale in order to obtain energy. It is believed that they mean to use this energy to enhance the army of their homeland, Akuma no Kuni." Danzo narrowed his eyes at the ANBU.

"And how come we have never heard of this 'Land of Demons?'" asked the elder. Silverback turned to the man, releasing a small wave of energy.

"That information is only available to the Hokage and select individuals. If I told you, I'd have to kill all unworthy individuals in this room. These are orders that I will follow to a tee." All in the room shuttered at his words. Never had a threat felt more real than right now. "I take my leave now, lord Hokage."

The ANBU suddenly vanished out of nowhere, a gust filling the room. Hiruzen nodded as he pulled his pipe away from his mouth.

"Always so dramatic." He looked to Kakashi, receiving a nod. "And now, Danzo, there is the matter of one Sasuke Uchiha being marked with Orochimaru's cursed mark. I plan to check with a resident seal master since Jiraiya of the Sannin is currently unavailable." Danzo sent the Hokage the only raised brow he could muster.

"And why would one of Konoha's most powerful shinobi be unavailable at a time like this?" asked the elder. "Last time I checked he was following no leads on the Akatsuki nor has he said anything about finding the missing Namikaze child." Hiruzen shook his head as he looked to the shinobi council. The clan heads knew the truth of Naruto's whereabouts to an extent, but they respected the Hokage's decision of secrecy. The leader turned his head to address his "old friend."

"Jiraiya is on a top secret assignment that few are allowed details on. In any case, it would be best to seal away the mark and pull the young Uchiha from the exams." The civilian council suddenly began voicing their displeasure, but simmered down as Danzo shot up from his seat.

"You cannot pull Sasuke Uchiha from the exams! To do so would not only deny the Uchiha heir to show his potential, but it would be a sign of weakness and fear to the other nations! They will tell tales of how our village is so scared of one man that we'd pull our best Genin from the exams!" Hiruzen hardened his glare at the fool in the council.

"Watch your tone Shimura-san. You might not like where you're raised voice gets you." The other council members tried to calm the man down, but he wasn't budging. Kakashi rolled his availabile eye as he closed his book.

"I'd hardly call Sasuke the best Genin." argued the Jonin. This caused all eyes to avert to him. "There are various Genin who could overpower or outmaneuver him. Some would even be able to do both. I think even he knows that."

Murmurs traveled through the civilian council. "That being said, Orochimaru would probably be just as angered if we take Sasuke out of the exams. Either that, or he'd go straight for him and we'd lose one of the last Uchiha." This resonated with both sides of the council. "I recommend allowing Fu Nisekuma to take a look at the curse mark and either find a way to remove it or bypass it completely."

"You mean like a detour on a broken road?" asked the Hokage. Kakashi nodded as he reopened his book. Danzo's scowl returned as he looked to the Jonin.

"The Nisekuma trash should never be allowed near Sasuke Uchiha!" growled the elder. Hiruzen silently looked to the right, ANBU quickly entering the room. "He's already withheld information from the council that would benefit all of Konoha, but he affiliates with that ape!"

"Enough!" Blades suddenly reached Danzo's neck, stunning all around. Danzo looked to the Hokage as the ANBU grabbed his shoulders. "The Nisekuma clan have just as much a right to their clan secrets as any clan on this council!" Danzo growled as he tried to shake the black ops ninjas off, but they didn't budge.

"You'd dare raise blades at a member of the civilian council twice? You are a fool sitting on a Hokage's throne." Hiruzen shook his head with a hard scowl.

"No. I raise my blade at a trouble making woman and a man talking treason. I'm a fool for letting the civilians gain more power than they have a right to have." Danzo's eye widened as more ANBU appeared behind him. "Get him out of here, and summon for Fu Nisekuma and Sasuke Uchiha."

Danzo was dragged out by the ninjas as the Shinobi council tried to hold their smiles. Hiruzen looked around the room for a moment before letting go of a breath he was unaware he held. "Kakashi Hatake and Kurenai Yūhi will be asked to remain for further instructions, but the rest of you are dismissed." The remaining civilians sped walked out of the room as the shinobi council respectfully left. Kakashi couldn't help the smile hidden under his mask.

"Good to have you back Hokage-sama." said Kakashi when only the three of them were left. Hiruzen suddenly let out a hardy laughter as he sat back in his seat. "Danzo never saw this coming." The Hokage brought up a bottle of water as he moistened his throat.

"Just wait till he finds out about the Daimyo giving me the authority to thin the heard in a few days. If Danzo wants a political war than it's about time I pulled out the old cards." Kurenai looked down in thought. "I sense your distress Kurenai-san. Speak your mind."

The Jonin looked up to the Hokage, explaining the reason behind her concern. Hiruzen rubbed his chin as he listened. He very well couldn't have Goku acting so fearful and down during the exams. He, Sakura and Sasuke were very much on their way to a Chuunin promotion. It would be shameful if the boy lost the will to fight at his best.

The old man sighed as he looked up. "What I am about to share with you is far beyond an S-class secret. Revealing this information is punishable by public execution." Goku stared at the wall as he and his team were in the sleeping chambers. He still has this pained feeling inside as he looked down at Zabuza's sword.

No sane man would kill someone unconsciously, so what did that say about him? Could he really trust himself with his team? With Hinata? He groaned as he hit the bed he sat upon. Why did he have to be so difficult?!

He heard the door to the room open, but he quickly hid his head in the pillow. He felt the bed move, signifying that someone was sitting next to him.

"Go away!" cried Goku. "I wanna be alone!" He felt a large hand massage his shoulder.

"Not gonna happen Sport." said a familiar voice overhead. The saiyan looked up to see his uncle looking back at him. The boy hid his head in the pillow again as Fu smiled. "I heard about what happened with Orochimaru. I wouldn't be surprised if you broke a few of his bones with that attack of yours."

He only got a soft groan from the monkey boy, causing his smile to drop slightly. "Come on Goku. So you couldn't take down the big bad snake? Orochimaru has escaped Konoha shinobi for years and..." He stopped as he heard Goku mumble into the pillow.

He raised a brow to the boy as he turned to face him more. "What was that?" Goku groaned as he raised his head.

"That's not it. Something else happened in the forest." Fu's smile fully dropped as he scooted over a bit. Goku slowly sat up beside his Uncle as he gave in. "A team working for Orochimaru came to our hiding place while me and Sasuke were unconscious."

Fu nodded as Goku took a moment. "I'm not sure how it happened, but I found myself being awakened by Hinata shouting my name. Instead of lying down on the ground though, I was standing up with one of the enemies' neck in my hand while a chakra blast was charging. I couldn't understand how I even got there, but then I saw a dead body and Zabuza's sword on the ground." Goku looked to the still blood stained blade propped on the wall in front of them.

"So one of your teammates used the sword to defeat one of the enemies." Goku shook his head as he looked down at his hands. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Sport. I'm sure they had a good reason to..."

"I was the one who did it." This shut the Nisekuma head up. "I was unconscious, yet I killed someone. How can I protect everyone if I can't even trust myself?" Fu sighed as he shook his head. He rubbed his temples as he looked to the boy.

"There's something you probably should have heard a long time ago." The Toyotomi heir looked to his adopted Uncle with a raised brow. Fu gathered his thoughts before looking to the boy. "The Toyotomi clan isn't exactly human."

"WHAT!?" shouted Kakashi and Kurenai after the Hokage told them that very same fact. Hiruzen sent the duo a small look, but it was enough to get the message across.

"With all due respect lord third, how is Goku inhuman?" asked Kakashi. "As far as I can tell the only difference is the tail, but that's been labeled as a kekei genkai." Hiruzen nodded at the man's skepticism.

"I had the same reaction when Fu Nisekuma brought him to me but DNA tests show that while he is similar, he is something else entirely." Kurenai looked down in shock as she let her leader's words sink in. She knew she had a special team, but for one of them to not even be human? That was a game changer. Kakashi shook his head as he tried to think rationally.

"So... he's part of the monkey summoning clan?" Hiruzen shook his head in response.

"A good guess but I'm afraid you're too close to the ground Kakashi-san. I wouldn't have had such a hard time filling out his citizenship documents if he was from anywhere of this world." Kurenai's eyes widened as her jaw practically hit the floor.

"I'm an alien!?" asked Goku in a large shout. Fu shuttered as Goku stood up. "No-no-no-no-no. That's crazy. I have a kekei genkai that gives me a tail and causes me to transform into a giant monkey at night."

Fu shook his head as Goku continued to mumble in denial.

"It's called an Oozaru Sport." informed Fu. "Look me in the eye and tell me that a bloodline ability can turn someone into an ape the size of a Biju." Goku turned and looked his uncle in the eye, but the words became scrambled as he tried to find the logic in someone's blood turning them into a giant creature. Sure, the Akimichi could become giant, but they couldn't transform into monkeys. He sighed as he ran his hands through his still put up hair.

"So I'm an alien. Not a new kind of human or something?" Fu shook his head in response. "Not a member of the monkey summons, 'cause I do have a tail?" Fu chuckled as he stood up.

"I didn't think you'd insult yourself so easily. A Saiyan would have more respect and pride than that." Goku looked to Fu as the Nisekuma head walked past him. "There's probably a few things I have to show you before the next exam tomorrow, so we better get it over with today. Come on."

Goku followed his adopted uncle through the many corridors. They soon found themselves outside the building. Fu pulled out a capsule and pressed the top down. He threw it to the ground in front of him. The Saiyan pod sprung forth, a few dents in it.

Goku's mouth hung agape as he looked over the vehicle. "It was kinda banged up by asteroids, but it's still operational. Inside is Saiyan armor and some stuff of your parents." At this Goku turned to his adopted Uncle.

"My parents?" Fu nodded in response as he pressed a button on the controller. The hatch suddenly opened, allowing Goku full access to its contents. He slowly approached, his curiosity tempting him greatly. Inside was exactly what Fu described; a Saiyan armor top, a pair of black and orange boots, a crimson bandanna, a strange device with a blue screen, a black unitard and a golden necklace.

"The bandanna was your father's." Goku looked back at the purple man as he held the cloth in his hands. "It was originally covered in blood, of whom or what I do not know, but I washed it out and died it a similar red for sanitary reasons. I found the necklace with you, though I'm not entirely sure where it came from." Goku nodded as he looked over the rest of his stuff, his sadness almost lost on him.

Fu stood still as an ANBU came up from behind. The man whispered into his ear before heading out. Goku held the necklace in his hands as he rubbed the pendant. "Gotta go see the Hokage Sport. Press the button on the top when you want to put it away."

"Yeah." Goku grabbed the armor and gave it a close examination as his Uncle walked off. It was black with orange straps and an orange stomach region. He looked at his own reflection in the red glass of the pod. Remembering his team and sword were still inside, Goku pressed the top of the pod, returning it to capsule form.

Back with Fu, he appeared before the Hokage in a short gust of wind. Hiruzen smiled as he looked to the purple man.

"Did you lighten his spirits?" asked Hiruzen, knowing well what Fu was doing before he was called. The Nisekuma head grinned as he nodded his head.

"He was shocked to learn of his saiyan heritage, but I think he'll be just fine." answered Fu. His face suddenly turned serious as he looked to the man. "What seems to be the situation? Am I correct to assume it has something to do with the cursed seal?" Hiruzen sadly nodded his head.

"I was hoping to pull Sasuke from the exams, but Kakashi and I agree that removing the boy would make him an easy target and set Orochimaru off. The best we can do is hopefully create a bypass so that his chakra can flow properly. I was hoping you would be the man for the job." Fu nodded as he made a scroll appear in his hand.

"I can do it Hokage-sama, but it may take all night. Messing with someone's chakra flow in such a way without causing damage is a hard task. My only request is that Silverback be there just in case things get hairy." Hiruzen nodded as he pressed a button on a slightly advanced device.

"He's already on his way there. I trust you can find him." Fu nodded in response as he made way for Sasuke's medical room. Upon opening the door, he found Caliban with his sword stabbed into a ROOT ninja and Sasuke unconscious. Fu didn't need to ask to know what had just unfolded.

"Danzo is becoming a problem." said Caliban as he allowed the body to drop into a ring of fire. "He not only holds no trust in us, but believes that Sasuke and Goku are nothing but potential tools for his gain. I should tear him apart right now." Before he could do anything else, the saiyan was stopped by Fu.

"Slow your roll there Kurosagi-san." interrupted the man. "He's a necessary evil if we want the convergence to go off without a hitch. I will promise, however, that if he slips up I'll leave him to you. Deal?" The saiyan groaned as he put his sword away.

"Let's just deal with the mark on the Uchiha." The duo stood over the unconscious form of Sasuke. "If only he was actually willing to loose the mark. Orochimaru's influence is too strong for the poor boy's will. It's a shame really."

"I know, but hopefully by the end of the Chuunin Exams he'll be willing to remove the mark and train under us." Caliban nodded, a sudden smirk appearing on his face.

"When that day comes, I call dibs." Fu whined as he crossed his arms.

"Why do you get to call dibs!? I'm the guardian chosen by Shenron here!" Caliban chuckled as he unfurled the scroll he received from Fu.

"I'm the one acting as your parole officer so that the Elder Kai of universe 7 doesn't come here and cart your hind end away." Fu sounded his sadness as he began to look over the scroll. Meanwhile, Goku returned to his room. He expected to see his sword still bloody and on the ground, but instead found it to be perched on the wall and clean as a whistle. He grabbed a sticky note off the hilt and began to read over the jittery words on it.

'Dear Goku.' thought the saiyan boy in his head. 'I know there was a lot going through your head when you left, so I decided to clean off your sword. I didn't hear what you and Fu-Sensei were talking about, but I hope whatever it is made you feel better. I would actually like to talk to you about what happened out in the forest. Please come to our sleeping quarters soon, from Hinata.'

Goku couldn't help the smile on his face as he stuffed the note away and grabbed his sword. He made way for their quarters as Kiba suddenly rushed past him. All he could hear was 'Mother Nature,' but he got the gist as he found himself standing in front of the room. He didn't know what to expect as he feared Hinata's opinion on his power. He wouldn't blame her if she was scarred of him.

Grabbing his courage, he opened the door. Hinata sat on one of the beds, wearing a purple night shirt with the Hyūga clan symbol on it and some lavender shorts. It wasn't the best looking outfit the heiress had, but Goku still couldn't help finding her to be beautiful. Seeing as neither were entirely eager to start the conversation, Hinata cleared her throat.

"S...so Goku-kun, How did things go with Fu-Sensei?" innocently asked the heiress. She was not prepared for the storm of words that came next. She held up her hands as Goku continued to talk. "P... please quiet down Goku-kun. My e...ears are still h...healing from the sound nin's attack."

Goku stopped as he took a deep breath, not wanting to become so excited as to hurt Hinata.

"Sorry Hinata-chan." apologized the monkey boy. "I just learned something huge about my clan and it got me excited." Hinata nodded with a huge smile.

'He's back.' Hinata rubbed her ears a bit before patting on the space beside her. Goku cautiously sat down as to not crush his tail or take room away from his crush. "Tell me all about it Goku-kun. I have plenty of time."

Goku, quietly, explained the short moment he shared with his Uncle earlier. He went down to the bare bones as he told her of his saiyan heritage and the pod. Hinata listened patiently, though she was surprised to say the least. He finished up as he let the information process. "So... y...you're an extraterrestrial being?"

"That's pretty much the gist of it." Hinata nodded as she looked to the boy's tail.

"That would explain the tail better than a kekei genkai. It's not exactly that surprising considering how much you eat." Goku chuckled lightly, knowing Hinata didn't mean any insult. Silence overcame the duo as they sat together. Goku sighed as he looked down.

"I think it might also explain what happened in the forest." Hinata looked to Goku with a raised brow. "From what Uncle Fu said, my race are a people of proud warriors. I must have awakened some warrior instinct when that guy attacked. It honestly scares me."

"Why are you scared of this part of you Goku-kun?" The saiyan looked to the girl with sorrowful eyes.

"I don't know if I'd be able to control it. What if it happens again and I end up hurting the people I care about? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything like that happened. If I can't control the power I might become nothing more than a monster. Maybe... I already am one."

Before anything else could be said, Hinata raised Goku into the air by his collar as she stood on the bed.

"You listen here Goku Toyotomi." Goku gulped, not expecting such ferocity from Hinata. "I don't care what you are or what part of you did what. You wanna know what I do care about? A friend calling himself a monster when he's far from one."

Now there were many things Goku should have been by this point. He should've been afraid, confused, and too heavy for this girl to lift since Zabuza's sword was still strapped to his back. Honestly, however, this side of his crush actually excited him: she clearly meant business and wasn't going to compromise. "That power may have been scary at the surface, but I saw a man who was ready to defend those who were precious to him no matter what state he was in. If I catch you calling yourself a monster again, I will personally hit every chakra point in your body so hard that the tail squeeze won't effect you anymore, understand?"

Goku nodded slowly, his eyes fixated on her byakugan. As if a switch had flipped, Hinata's face suddenly went red as she dropped the boy on the bed. "I... I'm sorry Goku-kun. I was just so angry and..." Before her flustered apology could continue, the girl received a huge hug from her favorite monkey boy.

"Thanks Hinata-chan. I guess I just needed to be slapped out of it instead of coaxed into thinking it was nothing." Hinata smiled as she tried to tone down the redness in her cheeks. She felt a familiar warmth hesitantly wrap around her. She slowly pushed the tail to grip her waist.

"Is the tail wrapping a saiyan thing too Goku-kun?" Goku wanted to unwrap the appendage at the mention, but Hinata's gentle touch was keeping it in place. She brushed it a bit, causing the saiyan to shiver. He tried to think of something, but he was stuttering worse than Hinata on a bad day.

"W...well you see." The door suddenly slammed open, causing Goku to jerk his entirety away. Hinata glared daggers at the intruder in her moment. Needless to say, Shikamaru quickly turned the other way and walked out. She turned to see Goku lying on his bed close by, his tail reaching out despite his best efforts.

Initially upset, Hinata chuckled as she laid down on the bed. Safe to say, Kiba missed out on some good blackmail. The next day, the building was filled with Gennin. More teams had shown up during the night, including the sand siblings. The forehead protectors shined as they bore the mark of their origin.

Goku looked around as he looked for a specific group. He smirked as he saw the fake protectors on a specific team. The bald boy was currently talking with his two teammates as they walked among the real ninjas. He was laughing and cutting up, the blue haired girl being the only one supporting his actions. Goku could tell the blonde of the trio was uncomfortable being there.

He walked over as he prepared to talk with them. The short kid looked to Goku with a smirk.

"If it ain't Mr. Toyotomi himself." greeted the boy. "Looks like we got through without help this time." The blonde girl growled as she looked away.

"Only 'cause ya used ma sis to draw in dos brats." argued the girl. Her blue haired sister beside her gave her a raised brow.

"Why did you call them brats?" asked the innocent teen. "They were so sweet. They offered me some food and a nice hat." She held up a red knitted boggin as proof. "I still don't understand why you had to knock them out."

"We needed the scroll Lia." answered the bald boy. He sighed as he looked to Goku. "Anyway, I'm Krillin Dongoru. These are the twins Launch and Lia." The girls nodded in sync, to which Goku responded in kind.

"It's nice to meet you all." said Goku. "If you don't mind, I have a question. How come I never saw you in my class?" The trio looked among themselves, the slight fear they were feeling evident on their faces. "You look to be around my age, but I never saw you in the older class."

"Well... you see... uh..." Launch cut him off as she looked to the front.

"Looks like they're getting things started." informed Launch. They took a breath of relief as Goku looked to the front. The teams gathered together as the next proctor entered the fray. The man had short brown hair, dark-colored eyes and dark markings under his eyes. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with a forehead protector that he wore as a bandanna, flak jacket and regular shinobi sandals.

"Now, *COUGH COUGH!* a word from the third Hokage *COUGH!*" said the man as he continued to cough. Goku noticed the man downing a senzu bean, making him worry over his health. Hiruzen stood as he cleared his throat.

"It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this year's Chūnin Exams." welcomed the Hokage. "To make it this far, you need to be some of the best your generation has to offer and stand strong with your team. In Konoha, we have a belief known as the Will of Fire. Our shinobi are ready to lay down their lives for their comrades, loved ones, and this very village."

Goku smiled as he watched his grandfather work his magic. "It is our hope to instill a similar ideal into your generation so that our allies can remain strong and unified. Today, you are representing your village by your very actions. That being said, not everyone is confident in their abilities. I give you this chance to back down if you believe you are not ready or are unable to compete for the title of Chūnin."

There was silence around the room. Surprisingly, Kabuto was the first to raise his hand.

"I have a hunch that explosion in the forest was one of the contestants or maybe even a whole team." said Kabuto. Fu looked to the teen with a raised brow as he walked towards the exit. "I'm out of my league this year. I'll just try again next exams." Fu groaned as he tried to rub his temples through his mask.

'Where have I seen this before?' thought Fu. He looked to Caliban, who nodded in response. A few more Genin dropped out, though a good sized crowd still remained. Goku saw that the trio of fake ninja were still there, though Krillin looked extremely nervous. Hiruzen nodded as he looked around the room.

"For those of you remaining, I wish you the best of luck. If you would please return your attention to your proctor." The teams then looked to the sickly man before them. The senzu bean seemed to have helped him as the darkness of his eyes had cleared a bit. He cleared his throat, Goku feeling a great deal of sorrow for him.

"My name is Gekkō Hayate, and I *HRGG!* will be your proctor for the third exam. Before we begin, however, we have more contenders than what will be needed for the final exam. As such, a preliminary exam will be held to ensure the strong will move on. Win or lose, *HRGG!* it will be up to your Kage to decide whether you earn the Chūnin rank or remain a Genin. The preliminary exam will follow the final exam; a combat tournament."

Murmurs filled the room as the contestants had mixed opinions of this news. "Contestants will be randomly drawn for one-on-one matches until half of the contestants remain. The winner of each match *HRGG!* will be determined when one fighter is rendered unable to continue; be it surrender, incapacitation, or death." Krillin went to raise his hand, but Launch kept him from doing so. "With all that being said, let's begin."

A huge screen lowered from the roof, surprising all around. Goku had a feeling that Fu had a hand in this advanced screen. Two roulette wheels appeared on the monitor. They spun in opposite directions as the contestants held their breaths. Both came to a slow stop as two names were chosen.

Hayate nodded as he looked to the crowd. "Sasuke Uchiha and Yoroi Akado will remain on the stage while the rest of you will relocate to the stands." Goku looked to his sworn brother. Sasuke could tell the Saiyan was wishing him good luck as he followed the others to the stands.

Sasuke smirked as he stood off with his opponent.

"Kick his butt Sasuke-kun!" shouted Ino from the stands. Sasuke's smile dropped at the sound of her voice. He took time to study his opponent. Yoroi's appearance was greatly concealed by the mask he wore around his mouth that hung to around his neck, sunglasses that obscured his eyes and forehead protector which he wore like a bandanna. He also wore what appeared to be the standard attire of his team consisting of a high-collared, sleeveless, purple shirt with a short-sleeved, white one underneath, a simple obi around his waist, purple pants, blue sandals and purple fingerless gloves.

Hayate cleared his throat once more as he looked to the two contestants.

"Hajime!" shouted Hayate. Sasuke hopped back as Hayate rushed him. He made the symbol for tiger with his hands, causing his right hand to glow blue. Sasuke mashed together his own hand symbols as he prepared a familiar jutsu.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" shouted Sasuke. Yoroi stopped in his tracks as Sasuke launched a huge ball of flames at the man. He jumped back, his leg being singed by the flames. A few silent gasps were heard among a few viewers. This caused Caliban to look to the origins of the sounds.

The Kazekage seemed displeased by the development as he gritted his teeth. Sasuke landed on the wall as he watched his opponent rub his leg. Yoroi growled as he looked to Sasuke. He formed the sign again as his hand glowed. He threw a punch at Sasuke, but the Uchiha dodged. Suddenly, Goku sensed a sudden decrease in energy as the man touched Sasuke's hair before said Uchiha fell to the ground.

"He can steal energy." growled Goku. "He's trying to drain Sasuke of his power." Sakura glared at the ninja before Sasuke. The Uchiha quickly recovered, unaware of what happened. When he saw Goku's face, however, he knew it was something the man did.

"You're looking a little green kid." taunted Yoroi. "You sure the shinobi life's for you?" Sasuke began to growl, but he composed himself. Now's not the time to fall for mind games. He activated his Sharingan as the man brought his hands together.

'Time to take a page out of Kakashi-sensei's book.' thought Sasuke as he followed his opponent's technique carefully. He could see the chakra flowing into the symbol, pushing the same amount into his own hand. If one were to look into Kakashi's eyes, they'd see a glint of pride. The duo moved in sync, though Sasuke's left hand glowed instead of the right. They rushed each other, clashing their respective attacks.

They clashed over and over again multiple times, neither gaining any ground. Yoroi growled at the development. 'How is he copying my power!? Is the Sharingan really that powerful? I don't even sense the cursed mark!'

"What's the matter?" asked Sasuke. Yoroi was caught off guard by the question. "You look a little green." He glared at the Uchiha as he rushed forward, intent on ending him. Sasuke slid under the man's arm as he reared his glowing fist back.

He plunged his arm into the man's gut. "Checkmate." He slid the rest of the way between the man's legs. Yoroi fell to the ground. One could clearly see the blank look on his eyes due to his glasses being slid away.

"With that, *HRGG!* the winner is Sasuke Uchiha." announced Hayato. The others cheered for Sasuke as he walked to the stands. Goku smirked as he approached his sworn sibling. They almost fist bumped, but Sasuke stopped as he looked to his hand.

"Should probably turn this off first." Goku chuckled in response as Sasuke powered down the attack. They finally bumped fists as the others approached. Sasuke tried to walk away, but Goku kept him around. Kiba was the first to approach.

"That was awesome!" shouted the Inuzuka. Hinata jerked a bit, still slightly sensitive from the sound attack. Akamaru, being more sensible, lightly barked as he stood next to the heiress. "Those eyes are seriously over powered." Sakura and Shino fought their way through the crowd, but Ino pushed harder as she reached Sasuke first.

"CONGRATULATIONS SASUKE-KUN!" shouted Ino to the top of her lungs. Hinata gasped as she grabbed her ears. Sasuke dodged Ino's attempt to hug him, causing her to run into the bars. She turned to see an annoyed Sasuke and an angry Goku. "What do you want ape?"

"I want an apology for Hinata." growled the saiyan. "She was hit with a sound attack that nearly killed her, and your scream almost made all her progress go down the drain." Ino couldn't help the sad frown on her face. She may not like the lovebirds, but she wasn't insensitive. She sighed as she turned to Hinata.

"Sorry Hinata." The heiress regained her composure as she nodded.

"It's alright Ino-san." responded Hinata. "You had no prior knowledge and I've been able to get over it mostly." Ino softly smiled, but then murmurs reached her ears.

"Is that a Konoha kunoichi?" asked one of the people in the stands.

"How could she act so shameful and childish?" questioned another.

"I hope not all of this generation are like her." groaned another. "Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it to continue business here." That's when the gravity of her actions hit her. Konoha was just as effected as the other villages by the actions of their shinobi, including the kunoichi. She just displayed the stereotypical actions people thought kunoichi took.

She quickly made her way back to her team, her head hung low. Caliban shook his head as he looked to the girl.

'So much potential, yet only now has she begun to see the consequences of her actions.' thought the masked saiyan. He watched as she continued to look down during her sensei's scolding. 'We shall see where you go from here young Yamanaka.' He looked down as he noticed how much he missed. He watched as the two wheels slowly came to a stop.

His eyes widened as he saw the name of one of the competitors. 'Has the Convergence already begun!?'

* * *

 **That's the newest chapter of Switched at Tragedy. Goku and Hinata were so close, but Shikamaru had to mess it up. Since Sasuke was never able to see the move that became his Lion Barrage, I thought I'd be nice and give him something else. Before you berate me, I've looked it up and there's no mention of this guy's ability being a Kekei Genkai. It's safe to assume Sasuke can copy it.**

 **Anywho, Arale still leads and is getting close to the 15 vote mark. There's still plenty of time to vote on who you want to steal Naruto's heart, so please remember to head to the poll on my profile (computer/tablet version of the site) if you have an account or to place it in your review down below otherwise. With that being said, please remember to R and R and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	17. Chp 16: Mysterious Team! Kunoichi Brawl!

**Here we are again. There were some pretty hefty revelations the previous chapter. Heritages were discovered and twists were turned. Be prepared for more changes to the base timeline. Before we get started, let's answer some reviews.**

 **Guest (1): It won't be too much longer.**

 **Guest (2): It's a neat idea for an upgrade. I'll think on that one.**

 **Guest (3): That kind of question has implications that can't be answered as of now, but expect mentions of the emperor in the near future.**

 **Guest (4): He could, but he might.**

 **Noobmaster: Let's just say I don't plan to stop this at one story.**

 **All for anime: I'll tell you one thing if he does things will become interesting. I honestly feel like a Hyūga saiyan could go pretty far. They could try to take him but they would fail. I'd have to think on the Namekians when it comes to that idea, but it's neat.**

 **Dandy Wheat:** **1) This is all occurring during the Original Naruto series. I just think Fu would want to reveal something shocking to try and help Goku feel better.**

 **2) I haven't actually thought of anything like that yet as I haven't seen the movie.**

 **3) In a way both, but you'll be waiting a long while for the true answer.**

 **4) The Kamehameha for definite. I'm not entirely sure on the others.**

 **5) I've made it clear that he will learn more about his heritage.**

 **As for pairing standings, Arale is still in the lead with 11 total votes. Followed by her are Yugito and Rin, both tied at two votes. Last,** **Suno rests at the bottom with one. Remember to drop your vote in the poll (computer/tablet version of the website) if you have an account or leave your vote in a review down below.** **With all that out of the way, let's get on with the chapter.**

 **I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball. I own OC concepts, characters, and objects unless stated otherwise.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Exam Stage, Forest of Death_

Caliban had to do a double take as he looked at the names on the screen once more. Sure enough he recognized the name Krillin, but had never known him to have the last name of Dongoru. This raised a red flag in the guardian's mind. If Krillin was here, then who was replacing him on the other side? How many more have already traversed the link, accident or not?

Meanwhile, Krillin gulped as he looked across the stadium. Choji was talking with his sensei. All that he heard was that the boy would be getting barbecue if he won. Akimichi love their food, so Krillin felt like dead meat. Launch suddenly smacked the acorn boy in the back of the head, causing him to yelp accordingly.

"What the crap Launch!?" shouted Krillin. "Give me a break! I'm gathering what little confidence I have here!" Launch kicked him in the rear in response. She did this a few more times as she chased him down the stairs.

"Get down there and represent already!" shouted Launch. "You're makin' the team and the village look like cowards! Get out there and fight!" Many people in the stands gulped as Krillin was forced down to the ring. Maybe their earlier comments about Konoha kunoichi were very much misplaced with a scary woman like this blonde.

Krillin rubbed his rear as he stood face to face with his opponent. They respectively bowed as the proctor cleared his throat once more. They then entered fighting stances as they awaited the start signal. Something that was clear to both Choji and experienced ninjas around the room was that Krillin's stance seemed to be very awkward, exposing a multitude of openings. Hayate raised his arm before suddenly throwing it down.

"Hajime!" shouted the proctor as he hopped back. Krillin went for the first move as he rushed forward, his fists to the sides. Choji responded in a similar manner as he entered a standard ninja run. The Akimichi blocked a right hook from the Dongoru, catching his fist in his hand. Krillin, however, used this to his advantage as he slid under his opponent and sent him stumbling forward with a kick to the back.

Krillin flipped as he landed, though it wasn't the most graceful. He had to work hard to keep from falling over as Choji got up. The Akimichi sent Krillin flying with a kick to the back. He stood at the ready as Krillin tried to stand back up.

"Give up." ordered Choji. "I don't want to hurt a fellow Konoha Shinobi." Krillin regained his balance as he turned to his opponent.

"Not gonna happen!" denied Krillin. "I've worked hard to get here!" Choji made his fist expand as he rushed the acorn boy. Krillin was able to bounce off the nearby wall to jump over the huge fist. They repeated this dance until Choji grabbed Krillin with the huge appendage.

"I said give up! Please!" Krillin grunted as he struggled in his opponent's grasp.

"No way Chubby!" The room went silent. Choji dropped Krillin on the ground. Those who knew his clan best knew there were two rules. Never get between the Akimichi and their food and never, ever, make fun of their size.

'He's dead.' thought all of team 10. Choji gave the teen the death glare. The Akimichi growled as he activated the Human Boulder technique. He rolled up into a ball and began rolling towards the unexpecting acorn boy. Instead of being flattened by Choji, however, he puffed away into smoke.

The huge ball started rolling around the area, trying to find his opponent. Choji returned to normal as a paper slowly fell in front of him. Launch and Lia seemed to tense up as the parchment landed on the ground. Before the Akimichi was coupon for barbecue. His eyes widened in disbelief as he read over the words.

"Seventy-five percent off large orders!?" shouted Choji in excitement. "Score!" He went to reach for it, a huge smile on his face.

"Choji wait!" shouted Asuma, trying to point out the obvious trap.

"Hey!" shouted a voice from above. Everyone, even Choji looked up to see Krillin was standing on the roof, almost like a bat. Now walking on walls and water were techniques that were well known, but vertically upside down? That was something that took an expert amount of control. "That... is... MINE!"

Krillin suddenly jumped down and landed on Choji's back, mounting him like a bull. The Akimichi flailed around as he tried to get the Dongoru off. He began to enter the Human Boulder technique, but Krillin repeatedly punched the top of his head. Choji dropped the coupon, causing Krillin to jump off his face and grab it. The acorn boy rolled as he pushed his prize in his pocket.

He turned around, only to wince at his opponent. Choji saw steaks flying around, dazed from the repeated blows to the head. He tried to reach out for them, only to stop as he saw this huge rack of ribs right within his reach. He rushed to grab it, running face first into... the wall. Needless to say, he was knocked out after that.

The audience was silent. Launch and Lia sighed in relief. Hayate blinked a few times before raising his hand.

"The winner of this match is Krillin Dongoru." said the sickly man. He turned around as he rubbed his temples. "Medic *HRRG!*!" Krillin walked up the steps, receiving bewildered looks from some and angry looks from his opponent's teammates. Shikamaru walked up behind the teen with an abnormally annoyed look.

"You didn't have to hit him so hard." groaned the Nara heir. Krillin jumped as he turned to the cloud watcher. "You could've just taken his offer or beat him normally." Krillin laughed in embarrassment as he rubbed his arm. Asuma couldn't keep his eyes off the stage.

'And I thought the Akimichi liked their food.' thought Asuma as he watched his usually timid Genin being carried away from the stage. 'Looks like I really do owe you some barbecue Choji.' Caliban was almost as stunned as the Jonin across the room from him. Nowhere in history has Krillin been so violent over food, but he could've just missed an apocalypse timeline or something. He shook his head as he almost rubbed the paint off the nose bridge of his mask.

"What the heck." groaned the guardian out loud. He didn't know how many more surprises he could take. He looked to the screen, and almost threw a kunai at it. Launch was a name not so well known, but it was one he definitely recognized. He watched as the blonde was sent down to face Kankurō Subaku of Sunagakure.

The aforementioned dog hatted teen sized up his opponent as she walked down on the opposite side. He smirked as he reached the ring first.

'Easy score.' thought Kankurō as he prepared for battle. He grabbed at a bunch of bandaging on his back as blue glowing rings began to form around his fingers. The girl only smirked as she placed her hands in her hair. This act seemed harmless to Kankurō, but energy sensors around the room could tell that something else was going on. Hayate was finally able to shake off the shock from the recent fight and looked between the two combatants.

"Fighters ready?" asked Hayate. Kankurō clicked his teeth as he looked to Launch.

"Try not to feel too bad when I beat you. Then again, you probably won't feel anything afterwards." Launch laughed tauntingly at the threat.

"Cute." said Launch. This caught the Suna nin off guard as he took a step back. "The wittle puppy doggy's barkin' at me." Kankurō growled as the rings quickly shot lines into the bandaging. Suddenly a large, three-eyed, four-armed humanoid puppet with jagged teeth and a spiky brown hairstyle protruding from the top of its head and framing the sides came out of the bandages. He smirked as Launch's confident smirk fell into an annoyed frown.

"My bite is worse than my bark." Launch rolled her eyes as she looked to the proctor. At the nod of her head, Hayate raised his arm. She took her eyes off the fight for a split second as she looked around the room. Hayate threw down his arm as Launch looked Caliban in the eyes.

"Hajime!" shouted Hayate as both he and Launch hopped back. Kankurō rushed forward, leaving his puppet behind. The girl threw a kunai at the puppet, but it disappeared in a puff of smoke. She dodged a punch from Kankurō, making sure she was a good distance from him. The puppeteer teen couldn't help but smirk as his opponent frowned.

"What's wrong? Afraid of messing up your hair?" Launch groaned as she pulled out another kunai.

"Ain't falling for a puppet trick." replied Launch. She threw the kunai from her hand straight into the teen's torso. He began to act out in pain, only to be punched by the blonde. "Quit hiding like the coward ya are and face me!" The Kankurō before her transformed into the teen's puppet.

"I'm honestly impressed." said the real Kankurō as he stood behind her. "Your the first person I've faced my age to figure out my first trick so quickly." The puppet slowly approached her from behind. "Unfortunately you won't get the pleasure of that for long." Launch gasped as she felt a blade run through her.

There were collective sounds of horror from inexperienced shinobi around the room. Ino couldn't believe her eyes. This girl just allowed herself to be stabbed through the gut. She looked to Hinata and Sakura, knowing they must feel some form of terror towards this act of... Why were they giggling?

She looked to the stage to see Launch was smirking as her opponent laughed. Kankurō stopped laughing as he looked to his opponent. She should've been screaming in pain by now. Instead, she just smiled at him as she held her arms out. Something clicked as he realised there was no blood in the wound where the blade went in.

Her fists suddenly came flying off, rocketing into his face. Once again no blood came from her arms nor her hands as the latter continued to attack him. Kankurō reached out to grab both fists, only to feel sheer pain as they collided with his hands. "What the heck are these things made out of!?"

"Solid steel doggy." answered a voice to the side. He looked to see Launch with similar strings to his own coming off her fingers. He followed the lines to see them flowing into the hands. The Launch in Karasu's grip puffed away. Goku looked to the two fighters with a raised brow.

"Whhhaaaat the heck is going on down there?" asked Goku. "Why the heck are they using puppets to fight each other?" He hadn't ever seen styles like these before. To be honest something didn't feel right about it. Maybe it had something to do with his Saiyan heritage.

"Didn't know we had a puppet master in Konoha." said a voice behind the group. They turned to see Kakashi leaning against the wall. "Honestly even I would've payed attention if there was a puppet master in the academy." Team 7 looked to their sensei, their own curiosity peaked.

"What do you mean by that sensei?" asked Sakura. "How are they able to use puppets in battle?" Kakashi walked up to them as he looked down at the two puppeteers.

"It's usually only used by Suna nin, but there are ninjas who use puppets in battle. Suna even has a whole division dedicated to this art. Either that girl's family came from Suna or she somehow learned the art from someone in the village." Goku looked to Krillin and Lia. The acorn boy shrugged while Lia rubbed her chin.

"I can't exactly remember where she learned to use puppets." said Krillin. "When I met her she was already using them in her training." Lia suddenly snapped her fingers, catching the other's attention.

"I remember!" shouted Lia. "Launch and I found ourselves spending time with a retired ninja from Sunagakure. He said he'd teach her how to use puppets if she could get past one of his own." Kakashi rubbed his chin as he tried to think of anyone that could be. "She used a wooden table and sheer speed to get past the puppet."

The group returned their attention down below, watching as once again the duo were staring each other down. Kankurō pulled Karasu close to him as Launch entered a fighting stance. A thousand thoughts ran through his head.

'Where the heck did she learn to work with puppets!?' thought Kankurō with a growl. 'Konoha had no puppet users on record!' A thought suddenly crossed his mind. 'Could she actually be part of the...' He was suddenly punched in the gut by one of the blonde's hand puppets.

"If ya ain't gonna fight then just give up." taunted Launch. "We don't got all day." Kankurō growled as he sent Karasu forward. The puppet prepared its blade once more, but it was assaulted by the steel fists. Kankurō tried to work around them, but they had Karasu in a bind.

He suddenly ducked down as Launch went in to punch him. "Neva take your eyes off da puppet master!" The duo fought in close combat for a moment, their puppets almost forgotten. Kankurō was finally able to throw the hands off Karasu as he made it fly at Launch. The blade grazed Launch's back, causing Lia to gasp.

"Careful!" cried Lia. "You could've killed my sister!" Kankurō looked up as he growled.

"That's kinda the point blueberry headed freak!" shouted Kankurō. Launch's eyes widened as she grabbed Karasu by his cloak. Kankurō suddenly found himself being knocked back by his own puppet, the two crashing into the wall. The Suna nin groaned as he rubbed his head. Launch had both her puppets making fists as her own shook.

"Let me explain som'n to ya Buster." growled Launch. "There are two things ya don't do in life. The first is never underestimate your opponent: that's just askin' for trouble. The second, is neva, eva insult my sister. With both of those, yer askin' to be buried six feet under!"

The knuckles of her hand puppets suddenly opened, releasing a cylinder each. One of the barrels unleashed a small projectile, grazing Kankurō's cheek. A bullet bounced off the wall and onto the ground. The Suna nin gulped as his opponent's puppets began to make a whirring sound. "Dance doggy dance!"

Bullets flew at the teen rapid fire, causing him to have to move his legs rapidly to avoid getting hit. He moved his puppet out of the way as well, though that didn't save him. One bullet suddenly hit his leg, causing him to shriek out in pain. Launch stopped firing as she delivered the knockout blow to his head. His puppet fell to the ground as he laid beside it, unconscious.

"The winner of this match is Launch." declared Hayate. Launch took in a few breaths before pulling her puppet hands back. She dropped them in a bag hidden by her hair as she walked up the steps. There was a hush among the audience. Launch did a great job of rectifying the kunoichi title, even if she wasn't actually one herself.

She approached her teammates, the scowl on her face softening as she saw their excited expressions. She raised her hand to say hi, only to be cut off by Sakura and Hinata.

"Gotta admit you were awesome out there... Launch was it?" complemented Sakura. The blonde nodded in confirmation. "You totally kicked that dog hatted jerk's butt! I've never seen puppets used like that in battle." Hinata nodded in agreement.

"Indeed." said Hinata. "The use of puppetry was very unusual yet beautiful to watch." Launch smirked as she pointed to herself with her thumb.

"Well ya have my teacher Hiruko to thank for that display." replied Launch. "He used just a tail puppet that did a heck of a lot of damage. If he didn't say anything goes then I would've been creamed." Kakashi thought over that name as he laid back against the wall once more. He didn't know of anyone by that name who ever visited the village.

Caliban, meanwhile, was speechless once again. He knew Launch had another side of herself that she could switch to, though it never happened. Granted, she never sneezed during the match so maybe she just has better tolerance. He sighed as he looked to the screen once again. It stopped on the names Lia and Hideyoshi.

Neither name concerned him as he looked around. Despite the appearances, he could tell many of the Suna and Oto nin were anxious if their energy was anything to go off of. This could've been pressure caused by the recent displays of strength from Konoha, but a good few of them reeked of malevolent intent. How any sensor has yet to notice troubled him. Either these guys were taught how to hide their energy at high enough levels for most sensory abilities, or something was masking them from most aforementioned abilities.

Caliban shook this off as he looked down to the stage. His seat almost cracked on sight of who was down there. Lia was Launch's other form, standing right in the middle of the stage. He turned to call the match, but then he spotted something. The Launch that just fought recently was standing among the other Genin.

He would've considered this anomaly as Launch using shadow clones, but both girls had separate yet similar chakra signatures. Somehow, the girl had been split into two separate entities. He had heard of similar occurrences from time patrollers and fellow guardians, but he had yet to see it for himself. It made him wonder what other surprises were in store as Lia reached the stage, met by a blonde ninja in the regular stone ninja attire accompanied by a mask over his mouth. The teen pulled out a kunai as he crouched down.

"Hope you're ready to be beaten!" said the boy confidently. Lia pulled out a small, metal fan as she entered a respectful bow.

"I hope to have a good match against you." responded Lia. She smiled as she stood upright. Hideyoshi's eyes widened at Lia's smile. There seemed to be a light shining on her as she entered a fighting stance of her own. His stance dropped a bit as Hayate dropped his arm.

"Hajime!" shouted the proctor. Hideyoshi watched as Lia ran forward. She suddenly began to change as she drew closer. Her once angelic appearance became monstrous and frightening as she jumped into the air. He held out his arms to block her increasingly growing foot, only for it to faze right through them and hit him in the face.

The stone nin fell on his back as Lia stood over him. She reached her left arm to him, her face growing more monstrous as she drew closer to his face. He suddenly held his arms in front of his face once more as he closed his eyes.

"I forfeit!" shouted Hideyoshi in fear. Everyone looked to the battlefield in confusion. To the naked eye the boy chickened out when the girl kicked him in the face. To energy sensors, however, the strange activity from Lia's chakra and Hideyoshi's reaction were enough to tell them something was up. Hayate shook his head in response as he raised his hand.

"Due to Hideyoshi Itsūmiko's forfeit, Lia wins!" declared Hayate as Lia took a few steps back. She seemed just as confused as the regular ninjas and civilians. She watched as Hideyoshi ran back up the stairs. She slowly returned to her own team. Upon seeing their smirks, her own face turned to an embarrassed scowl.

"I did it again didn't I?" asked Lia as she rubbed her temples. Launch nodded her head as she put a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"'Fraid so." answered Launch. "Look on da bright side! Ya won! Hopefully we'll face off in the final exam." Lia sighed as she looked down.

Fu stole a glance over at Caliban. Even with the mask on, he could tell that the guardian was both shocked and angry at the same time. He looked to the team who were greatly out of place. He knew that if there were anymore out of place people things wouldn't go so well for him. He watched the roulettes spin on the screen, praying his time in any world wasn't up.

He thanked his luck that both Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka showed up on the screen. Things seemed to be getting back on track as he laid back in his chair. Sakura, however, wasn't sure of her own luck as she looked to Ino. The blonde was just as surprised as her, but she seemed pleased with the odds. The pinkette felt a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You shall do well Mrs. Haruno." said a familiar voice. She turned to be met by Neji and Goku. "Yamanaka does not have your strength. The only thing to look out for is her clan technique." The saiyan beside him nodded at these words.

"You've got this Sakura!" cheered Goku. The pinkette smiled as she walked down to the stage. Her eyes returned to the ones of her rival. The two were soon at the fighting stage, a fire in their eyes as they instantly entered fighting stances. Hayate felt the Senzu bean begin to wear off as his cough started to return.

"Hajime *COUGH*!" shouted the proctor as the cough prevailed. He jumped back as Ino and Sakura entered a sprint around the field. Even the most clueless individual could tell that the two were sizing each other up. Sakura decided to make the first move and shot an energy blast right at Ino. The blonde flipped as she dodged, the attack instead making a small dent in the wall.

Everyone around seemed to be in utter shock from this display. Sakura continued the assault as she launched more and more attacks. Ino found herself with barely any ability to dodge the attacks, one of them coming very close to hitting the side of her head. She decided to try and get in close as she used gaps between the energies to do so. She got in close to Sakura, landing a punch that launched the pinkette back a bit.

Ino caught her breath as Sakura flipped to keep from falling on her back. Ino threw her arm to the side.

"What the heck was that!?" asked Ino in shock and anger. "How are sending out chakra in such powerful attacks, let alone without any hand signs!?" Sakura shook her finger with a despicable smirk.

"Uh Uh Uh!" denied the pinkette. "That'd be telling and I'm not in the mood for kid's stories." Ino became even angrier as Fu held back snickers from his seat. He taught her to say that for such an occasion, and it worked beautifully to his enjoyment. Ino pulled out some kunai as she prepared to go on the offensive.

"You can shoot energy all you want but your still just an enormous target Forehead!" Sakura growled as Ino threw her blades. She twirled out of the way and threw shuriken straight for her former friend. The Yamanaka heiress threw kunai of her own, blocking the blades. Sakura flew forward, keeping low to the ground to make it seem like she was merely jumping.

The two clashed, though Ino was being pushed back significantly. The blonde tried to fight her way away from Sakura, but the pinkette grabbed both of her hands and planted her feet firmly onto the ground. With a huge smirk she spun around, making Ino orbit whilst flailing like a rag doll. She slowed down a bit when she threw the blonde, not wanting to kill her. Ino landed back first into the wall.

She landed face first as Sakura regained her balance. Ino looked up to the smiling Sakura. 'It's no fair! How is she so strong when we were just even during the academy days!? I've never even seen her smile like this before!'

A thought suddenly occurred to her as she slowly stood up. 'Have I?'

* * *

 _Flashback: Fields of Konohagakure_

 _Sakura sat on the ground as she bawled her eyes out. She had just gotten out of another bullying attempt. It was the usual occurrence: someone decided it'd be funny to insult her large forehead, poke it a bazillion times. What happened differently, however, was that she decided to hit him for doing it. She wasn't hurt by any means mind you, not physically at least._

 _What made her cry at this moment was when her mother believed the children did nothing to ensue the attack. Her mother took it as an insult to the Haruno name as they were a well known family of the civilian council. Sakura had ran off to her favorite spot after receiving a stern talking from her parents when she was not in the wrong. Ino was just a little girl at the time as well, but she wasn't about to let this go unresolved. She had soon arrived after a few minutes of searching._

 _"Hey Haruno-San!" called the younger Ino. Sakura looked to her and began to shift. "Easy there! I'm not gonna hurt you or anything. I just wanna talk."_

 _The younger Sakura rubbed her eyes as she looked away._

 _"Go away!" cried the pinkette. "I don't need anyone else making fun of my large forehead!" Ino sat beside the girl instead, a soft smile on her face._

 _"I'm not here for that silly! I actually like your forehead." Sakura looked to Ino with a confused and surprised expression. "Gives you more room for brain power in my opinion. Boys could use some of that in my opinion."_

 _Despite her tears, Sakura couldn't help but chuckle. Ino decided to keep it rolling as she looked around the field. She spotted a plant she knew all too well. She smirked as she looked to Sakura. "Come on."_

 _The pinkette reluctantly followed the blonde as they approached a pink flower upon a branch. Sakura looked over the plant in fascination as Ino held it by the stick._

 _"Is that a..." Ino nodded as she pulled the flower off._

 _"Yep! A Sakura bud. You're a lot like it in a way." Sakura sent Ino a puzzling look as the blonde smiled at her. "They may make fun of your forehead now but once your older, I'll bet you it'll be one of your best features."_

 _Sakura couldn't help the happy smile on her face. "Your just a Sakura bud waiting to bloom." Sakura wrapped Ino in a hug, causing her to drop the branch. She pulled back with a large smirk._

 _"That's actually my name you know." The young Ino tilted her head in confusion._

 _"Bloom?" Sakura chuckled as she shook her head._

 _"No. Sakura." Ino sounded her understanding as she dropped her fist into her palm. The blonde smiled in response as she held out her hand._

 _"I'm Ino." The two shook hands, cementing what should've been a long friendship._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Ino was brought out of memory lane as she quickly dodged. She was nearly hit by an attack from Sakura. Her anger returned as she returned the attack in kind with a kick. The two repeated the exchange a bit, swapping who attacked first and who got hit. Ino jumped back as she threw more kunai.

Kiba whistled as Sakura deflected the flying blades with her own kunai.

"Dang!" shouted Kiba. "That girl can fight! I wouldn't have minded being on her team!" Goku smirked as he looked down to the stage.

"That's Sakura for ya." complemented Goku. "She trained with my Uncle to become stronger a few years before graduation. She soon found that she has loads of power the day I came back from my training trip. I don't think she's even tapped into the largest part of her strength." Sasuke felt a pain in his neck upon that remark. He was by all means happy for Sakura, but something about her power being stated just made him feel a slight bit of jealousy.

Sakura sent forward energy blasts in response to a flurry of kunai launched by Ino. One of them hit the blonde in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. They clashed blade's for a bit before hopping back once more. Ino finally had enough as she clenched her fist.

"How are you so strong!?" asked Ino in rage. "I at least thought we'd be evenly matched! You couldn't have gotten this powerful after just a few months!" Sakura shook her head in denial.

"If you didn't focus so much on your looks and trying to win over Sasuke you'd probably do better in this fight." responded Sakura. Ino's eyes widened in response. "I worked hard to get as strong as I am, looks being second to it all. If it wasn't for you constantly pushing me and my friends helping me get on the right track, this match would be even closer." Ino growled as she pulled out another kunai.

Sakura prepared for an attack, prepared to finish the battle. Imagine her surprise as Ino suddenly grabbed at her own long ponytail.

"You think this matters to me!? You think I wanted to start a war over one guy!?" Sakura jerked back in response to the development. Ino used the blade to cut off a large amount of her hair before throwing the pieces in front of her. Even Shikamaru payed close attention with widened eyes.

He had known Ino for a long time now. The girl was always big on her looks and her dreams of being with Sasuke. Never had he seen her mess up her hair and deny her feelings for the Uchiha heir. To see her cut most of her ponytail off and flat out deny liking Sasuke like it wasn't anything new was startling to say the least. "You wanna know why I started this huge thing with Sasuke!? Do ya!?"

Sakura couldn't respond as she and many others were in shock. "You turned me into this over obsessive, stupid fangirl! I used Sasuke to try and help you grow a spine, but instead you took it as some unforgivable sin!" There was silence as Ino stomped the ground. "It went too far that one day: the day you ruined everything!"

Sakura felt a pain in her heart at the memory.

* * *

 _Flashback: Konohagakure Academy_

 _Sakura and Ino began their competition three months beforehand. Ino knew Sakura liked Sasuke, yet she decided to go after him herself. She trusted Ino with everything and here she was trying to steal the one guy who didn't treat her like some exotic animal. She would not have it. She decided to pull something big in order to let Ino know that Sasuke was not someone she took lightly._

 _Ino walked into the classroom, feeling a little weary from this whole ordeal. She didn't expect Sakura to be so fierce when it came to Sasuke, but she knew her friend needed this competition if she was ever to grow up. She took her usual seat behind Sasuke, where she usually tried to instill Sakura's confidence with a little 'flirting.' What she didn't expect, however, was to feel a strange sticky sensation against her back. She shrugged it off as sweat from the heat, it was a particularly hot day after all._

 _Once the lesson was over Ino began to get up, but a weird sound came from the back of her head as she did. She reached back, finally getting a feel of the substance. She recognized it as a sap of some sort, one that had a particularly sweet aroma. A buzz started to fill the air, causing Ino's eyes to widen in horror. She looked behind her to see a large group of bees flying her way._

 _She ran away for the next few hours. The culprit was never caught, but Ino had a powerful suspicion. She interrogated one of the guys, finally confirming her theory upon finding one that showed up before anyone else. All she had to do was give him the pouty face and he spilled his guts._

 _"I saw Haruno-san place the honey on the chair." confessed a boy in a red shirt, black pants and blue slippers. He had short black hair parted to the sides but the most peculiar thing about him was his nose, more specifically the lack thereof. "I went to clean it up, but you sat in it before I could stop her and she gave me this scary look. I tried to warn you as well but class had already started. By the time class ended the bees showed up."_

 _Ino looked shocked by the detail he placed into his confession. She had a hunch about Sakura, sad as it was, but this kid seemed pretty nice if the guilt he conveyed was genuine. He bent over in a respectful bow as he held his hands together. "Please forgive me for not acting and being a coward Yamanaka-san!" Ino couldn't help the small smile as she placed a hand on the boy's shoulder._

 _"It's alright." forgave Ino, causing the boy to look up at her. "I'm just glad you tried at all. Now if you'll excuse me." She ran off in a hurry, not catching the boy's name. There was only one thing on her mind._

 _She arrived at the same spot her and Sakura usually met before the whole thing with Sasuke started. There she found the pinkette looking over the many flowers as usual. "Sakura!" The girl in question turned to see Ino's scowling face, mirroring the expression herself. "Why the heck would you cause a bee attack on me!?"_

 _"You started it when you went after Sasuke!" shouted the younger Sakura. Ino jerked back, but still stood her ground._

 _"But making bees attack me!? That's just going too far! What did I ever do to even deserve such an attack!" Sakura clenched her fist as she looked Ino in the eyes._

 _"I told you how much I liked him, and your response is to steal him from me!? How could you be such a selfish, greedy, **PIG**!" Ino's eyes widened in response. __Never had anyone called her a pig. It stung on the inside as Sakura let out more angry huffs._

 _She could see something different in the pinkette's eyes, but it started to fade as her expression softened. "Ino... I..."_

 _"I hate you." Sakura's eyes widened as Ino clenched her fist. "I hate you and your dumb forehead! You don't deserve Sasuke-kun! I'll see to it that he becomes mine!"_

 _Ino ran off, leaving the pinkette behind. Sakura fell to her knees as she began to bawl like in the old days. Ino let loose a tear of her own as she continued to run. From that day they truly went from the best of friends to the worst of enemies._

 _Present Day_

* * *

Sakura returned to reality to see a lone tear on the same exact cheek of Ino's face. She was just as shocked as others around. Ino had went after Sasuke... to help her? It just didn't make sense! Somehow, however, she knew it was true.

Ino wiped the tear with her arm as she continued her glare.

"You did this to us." resumed Ino. "Your the one who started the war, and even if you'd hate me for it I was set on being the one to end it. We were best friends and you stabbed me in the back all because of a stupid boy! You know how much I hate it when I fall into that old habit of 'Sasuke-kun Sasuke-kun Sasuke-kun SASUKE-KUN!?' I don't even like him that much!"

Sasuke didn't even feel insulted as two thoughts went through his head. One, the blonde who annoyed him to no end wasn't even actually pining for him. Two, he really felt terrible for all the things he said about her behind her back. Goku was shocked as he had no prior knowledge of this encounter between them. He was under the assumption that Ino was just a jerk.

Sakura couldn't form words as Ino put her hands in a familiar position. She tried to move, but a blue line ran through Ino's hair and popped around her foot. "My only goal since that day was to make sure you never got your hands on Sasuke, because I feared what would happen once you had what you wanted. Now I'll make sure you don't see him in the finals!" Sakura tried to move, but the line grasped her foot too strongly.

Ino closed her eyes as she tensed her muscles. "MIND TRANSFER JUTSU!" The energy sensors could instantly recognize the change in energy. Ino had effectively captured Sakura's body in one of the Yamanaka clan's signature techniques. One that gave the user control of a targets body for a short duration.

Goku, Neji and Hinata were the ones watching the closest as Sakura opened her eyes.

"Let's finish this." said Sakura in Ino's voice. She walked towards the proctor with full intent in her eyes. Sakura could do nothing as Ino continued to move her body forward. She stopped as she began to raise her hand. "I..."

"It doesn't matter what happened in your past!" shouted a voice from the stands. Ino looked up at the voice, surprised by its origin. Neji looked over to the possessed girl with anger in his eyes. "You sealed your fate that day by betraying each other! This isn't about a squabble that could easily be fixed with an apology on both sides: this is a competition to see who moves on in the Chūnin Exams!"

Ino couldn't believe the outburst from Neji. Sure he had a decent point, but the exams had nothing to do with this! This was her taking out all her pain to make sure that Sakura failed for what she did. She returned to her previous action, but stopped upon an eerie feeling. She felt a chill down her spine as she soon found herself in the mindscape.

It was twisted, yet beautiful to look at. It didn't matter to her as she had to fight her way back up.

 **"He's right."** said a dark yet familiar voice behind the blonde. Ino turned to see Sakura, but something was off about her. Her skin seemed to be a bright form of pink while her hair was becoming a pale salmon. Steam left the pink woman's nose as she looked to Ino with black eyes that held red irises. Ino took a step back in fear upon seeing this new side of Sakura.

"S...Sakura!?" asked Ino in shock. The pink being began to walk slowly towards her, a bright pink aura forming around her.

 **"This isn't about our mistakes. This is a fight between kunoichi. I won't buckle under the pressure just because you show me the truth. The one who'll win this fight..."** Sakura suddenly disappeared from sight.

Ino looked around to find her, only for the pink being to give her a huge punch to the gut. Sakura looked Ino in the eyes, the red of her irises glowing. **"IS ME!"** Ino was pushed out of the world of Sakura's mind, though she had yet to return to her own body. Sakura fell to her knees, her eyes closed.

The group looked on as both kunoichi were now on their knees. Tension filled the air as there was no movement. Before anything could be said, Sakura began to stand. Kiba and Akamaru were celebrating, but the energy sensors and experienced shinobi began to tense. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Sakura's eyes opened, revealing the same red eyes as her inner counterpart. Caliban instantly recognized the signs. The energy, the aura, the look of her eyes. There was only one race that held these traits, even among other time branches.

"She's got Majin in her!" whispered Caliban to himself in shock. Fu was the only one to hear the declaration, beyond shocked that he didn't recognize that in his own student. He turned to the battle as Sakura stood over Ino's body.

 **'All the ways I could hurt her right now.'** thought Inner Sakura. She really didn't enjoy having three minds in her head, even if outer Sakura was unavailable. She sighed, however, as she looked down at her hands. **'Guess we both messed up pretty bad huh Piggy?'** Sakura held Ino in a pin long enough for Hayate to finally raise his hand.

"The winner of this match is Sakura Haruno *COUGH!*" shouted Hayate as he concluded the match. Ino soon regained consciousness as Sakura stood over her. She looked away as paramedics arrived to assess her condition. Sakura remained quiet as Ino was confirmed to be relatively unharmed. The blonde brushed past Sakura as she walked towards the women's wash area.

Inside Ino couldn't stop looking at herself in the mirror. She had failed once again. Failed to win the match, failed to keep her emotions in check, and failed to make her father proud. She splashed some water in her face, only to be met with a loud bang. She turned to see Sakura had put a large dent into the wall with her fist.

'So you've come to settle the score now have you?' asked Ino to herself as she held her arms folded across her chest. She expected many things at this point. She expected angry shouting, pain, and maybe even some insults for being the one to end their friendship. What she got, however, was a good look at the tear stained face of Sakura. The pinkette fell to her knees as she hit the ground with both fists.

"How could I have been so stupid!?" shouted Sakura in anger. "How could I hurt the one person who knew me better than anyone, the person who told me my forehead wasn't a bad thing!? I let my stupid obsession turn me into a revenge driven monster!" Ino was shocked as Sakura continued to hit the ground. "DARNIT-DARNIT-DARNIT!"

Ino watched as Sakura's fists began to turn red from the constant pounding, starting to feel uncomfortable just being witness to the events. The one thing that made her most upset was the pain Sakura was obviously causing herself. The pinkette began to raise a fist again, but Ino suddenly caught her from behind in a hug. The Haruno stayed still as Ino held her grip on her. "I...Ino?"

"Please stop." asked Ino as she stayed in place. Sakura let her arms lower as Ino began to stand. She looked back to her old friend, her face still tear stained as more threatened to leak from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Ino resumed the embrace, catching Sakura off guard once again. The two said no more as they let the bonds reconnect. Ino smiled as she looked to the back of Sakura's head.

"Want me to fix your hair like old times?" Sakura smiles as she and Ino pulled apart.

"I'd like that very much." Neither noticed the puff of smoke at the entrance to the room. Back with the others, Hinata was smiling as she looked to the guys.

"They're fine you guys." informed Hinata. "I think they just made up. It'll be interesting to see how things change now that those two aren't constantly at each other's throats." Sasuke nodded in agreement, especially since now hopefully one of the annoying fangirls was off his case. Goku sighed as he looked to the arena.

Things seemed to have calmed down as Hayate drank from a flask, trying to wet his throat. He looked around as he placed the bottle back in its spot on his person. He could notice the shock still on the faces of many people, including shinobi from Konoha. They did not know such drama was going on right beneath their noses, especially the parents of the previous fighters. He cleared his throat as to regain the audience's attention.

"With that short intermission out of the way *COUGH!, let's see who the next contestants will be!" shouted Hayate so that all could hear. The roulette began once more, causing tension among the spectators and contestants. They hadn't even reached the true finals and they were already on the edge of their seats. No one knew what to expect from the battles here on out. This was especially true for the next fighters.

 **"May Neji Hyūga and Hinata Hyūga please enter the arena!"**

* * *

 **So what do you think? I know this chapter was a little short, but I wanted to diverge from canon a bit and show off what Krillin, Launch and Lia could do, as well as Caliban's reaction to their appearance. I decided to give the twins differing abilities and skills to go with their personalities. The group's abilities, you'll learn more in the future. Now onto the fun part: the changes to Sakura and Ino's fight.**

 **I didn't want to defer from canon too much. I find their returned friendship to be a good thing as it's part of their arcs as young girls turning into mature and capable kunoichi. I did, however, want to spice up Ino's character and show that Sakura has come a long way since her younger days. I'm honestly proud of the results. Things will be interesting with how Ino's character will grow from this point.**

 **Anywho, what do you think of the changes made? How will the Neji Hinata fight go down? How the heck does Sakura have Majin DNA? Remember to R and R and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	18. The Hyūga Clan! The Prelims Continue!

**It's time once again. I'm glad that you guys seem to still like this story, even once we got past when the original ended off. I don't plan on leaving this story unfinished at all. Get ready for more fun! Before any of that, however, let's answer some reviews.**

 **Guest(1)- Glad you like the story. I don't plan on stopping until the last chapter. Even after that there will most likely be a sequel or two.**

 **Guest(2)- I hope this answers your question.**

 **Noobmaster- Towa and Mira are causing trouble special to this fanfic. It takes me a week at the least and two or three at the most unless something comes up. You'll just have to wait and see on that last question.**

 **Dandy Wheat- You sure do ask a lot of questions. I'll try to be as informative as I can without giving away any spoilers.**

 **1) I will most likely do Z and onward in another fanfic. The end of this story might come soon or it might come later but I'm not giving anything away.**

 **2) He may or he may not.**

 **3) I've put a good amount of thought into Goku's moves, especially some ones he develops himself.**

 **4) That's gonna be fun to go over in the future.**

 **5) Stay tuned on that one.**

 **6) The battle between Sasuke and Goku will be very interesting.**

 **As for pairings, everything seems to be the same save for Yugito having one new vote towards her. There's still plenty of time for you to vote for Mr. Uzumaki Namikaze's pairing. Remember to place your vote in the poll on my page (Desktop/Tablet version) if you have an account or leave a review down below if you're a guest. With that out of the way, let's get on with the show.**

 **I don't own Dragon Ball or Naruto. I do own a OC techniques, places and characters unless stated otherwise.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Chūnin Exams Preliminary Stage, Konohagakure_

Hinata gulped as her name was called. She knew she had come a long way, but she hoped Neji would be a third exam opponent. She looked to her cousin as he walked towards the stairs. She knew he had beef with the Hyūga council, but thankfully her and Hanabi were left out of it. She rubbed her temples as she began to panic.

"You alright there Hinata?" asked a familiar and comforting voice. The heiress turned to see Goku standing there with his arms crossed. "You're looking kinda scared over here." The girl nodded as she looked down.

"I'm alright Goku-kun." answered Hinata. "I'm just... worried is all. Neji-nii seemed to soar past me when he began training under Fu-sensei, and I've been training with him for years. I might not be strong enough to face him." Goku shook his head as he let his arms fall to his sides.

"You have nothing to worry about. I've seen you fight off enemies twice your size! As of right now your base energy is larger than Neji's. You just have to stay focused." Hinata shook her head as she looked to her own hands.

"Neji has Lee-san and Gai-sensei on his team, and they'd be hard pressed to make sure he kept up with his Taijutsu." The heiress sighed as she rubbed her arm. "Maybe, I'm not ready for these exams after all." Goku looked at her with widened eyes.

"Who are you and what have you done with my Hinata-chan?" The heiress blushed upon those words.

'HIS HINATA-CHAN!?' Goku cleared his throat as he caught his words. Several around them were snickering as Kiba rolled his eyes. He was here now and he wasn't going to interfere in their love life. The saiyan rubbed the back of his head with a blush blazing his cheeks.

"What I mean is you're not acting like yourself. The Hinata I know wouldn't hesitate to give a fight like this her all. This is your chance to show your clan what you've got. Fight so hard that you impress them even if you lose." The Hyūga heiress blinked as she thought over her crush's words.

Hinata nodded as she ran down the stairs. She steeled her gaze as the bottom continued to approach her. If Goku-kun believed in her then she was going all out. She just hoped Neji wouldn't be too hurt if she did beat him. She also hoped she had enough strength to potentially meet that possibility.

The two Hyūga soon stood on the ring as Hayate drank more water. Neji could feel the determination flowing off of Hinata. Her eyes shined brighter than they ever had before. Even the way she held herself spoke volumes to the branch Hyūga about her current state. He couldn't help but smile in response.

'Now she's acting like her mother.' thought Neji. His mind went back to the first time he met the woman.

* * *

 _Flashback, Hyūga Compound_

 _Hinata was too young to remember that day, but even Neji had a hard time remembering the woman's face. All he could remember from the times he saw her was her green kimono with pink flowers and her shaggy hair. His first memory with her was when he had the displeasure of walking in on a meeting between Hiashi and the elders. He wasn't entirely interested in the context of the meeting, but Hinata's mother had caught his eye. Upon one elder's remark on Hinata's placement, the woman had rose from her seat and given off a wave of killing intent that made all around flinch._

 _"Now listen here you old fart bag." growled the woman. The elders were taken aback by the insult thrown at one of their own. "Hinata will never have that cursed mark on her head. She's going to grow up and be a strong leader for this clan you pathetic excuses for leaders can't seem to lead right. If I find one hair out of place in my daughter I'm going to shove my foot up all of your..."_

 _Neji did not listen in the rest of the way as he tried to leave the area as fast as possible. He tripped over a stone, however, causing him to stumble to his knees. He heard the door slam open as Hinata's mother walked out. She turned to see him in his current predicament. "Hey brat!?"_

 _Neji slowly turned as he looked to the woman that addressed him. "You Hizashi's kid?" Neji could only nod in response. The woman tsked in response as she looked away. "Ya have potential so don't sit around like a crybaby."_

 _She had walked the other direction of the boy. Neji had never seen a woman like Hinata's mother before._

* * *

Present _Day_

If Hinata was truly anything like her mother than things could wind up going down hill for him pretty quickly. His smile turned into a look akin to the expression on his opponent's face, ready to face the challenge regardless. 'Let us see who fate deems the winner Hinata-sama.' Hayate cleared his throat as he looked between the two fighters.

"Both fighters ready?" asked Hayate. Neji held up his hand as he looked down to his sandals. He pushed some chakra into seals on them, deactivating them. He then did the same with bands on his wrists. Hinata nodded in response as she did the same.

"I want you to give me your all Neji-nii." demanded Hinata. She entered a fighting stance as she flared her energy. Neji met her in kind as he entered his own stance.

"Then you must earn it Hinata-sama!" retaliated the branch Hyūga. Hayate nodded as he raised his arm. Time slowed as Hinata and Neji kept eye contact. Neither had their Byakugan active as they slightly shifted their stances. This was the Hyūga stance that they were taught years ago.

"Hajime!" shouted Hayate as he hopped back. The two fighters seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye. Violent winds blew through the arena as the audience was in awe. Only experienced ninjas, those with sharingan, or those with keen eyes could keep up with the blurred fighters.

Hinata threw forward a chakra filled punch that Neji quickly blocked. He tried to return the attack, but Hinata quickly dodged. These movements along with several other jabs, chops and kicks made up the steps of their dance. Hinata finally grabbed Neji by his sleeve and launched him into the ceiling. Neji fell to the ground while he launched a palm blast at Hinata.

The heiress met this attack with a normal energy blast, but jumped back as Neji's attack had more power. Hinata increased her power as she charged the still falling Neji. The branch Hyūga landed on his feet as he and Hinata once again entered a flurry of attacks, dodges and blocks. The Hyūga elders were surely interested, but it was Hiashi and Hizashi who were truly impressed. The branch member of the twins looked to Hiashi.

"Fu Nisekuma has done well with the future of our clan." declared Hizashi. "Perhaps Hanabi would meet similar results through training under him." His brother nodded in response. Hiashi furrowed his brow as he looked to his youngest daughter. Hanabi was rooting for both family members as she was on the edge of her seat.

"Go Hinata!" shouted Hanabi as she watched Hinata land a strong punch to Neji's right cheek. Hiashi shook his head in response.

'If he could help Hanabi as he did Hinata and Neji then the age of the Gentle Fist style might be nearing its end.' thought the clan head as his youngest daughter was practically trying to get a closer view from behind the guard rail. He rubbed his chin in thought. 'Then again, she might never be as strong as Hinata.' He resumed his attention to the battle at hand as Hinata and Neji clashed fists. The two hopped back as they took a break to breath.

Goku continued to watch the battle as he routed for his teammate. He could tell that both of them were even in power thus far, but that could change in the blink of an eye. His tail was wagging in excitement as he watched over Hinata. Kiba, on the other hand, was too shocked by the power being displayed to even say a word. A whistle caught the group's attention as they turned to the origin of the sound.

"What do you think guys?" asked Ino as she stood beside Sakura. The Pinkette's hair was cut in a short, more clean bob style. Her forehead protector was being used to hold the front of her hair in place, revealing the forehead she had once been subconscious about. Ino had her hair pulled up in a single bun by two pins. Launch was the first one to speak up.

"Gotta say a shorter style suits ya both." answered Launch. Lia nodded in agreement as she stood beside her sister. Krillin sounded his agreement as he quickly returned his attention to the fight. Speaking of, Neji used thispause in their battle to assess the damage Hinata had caused. He was lucky his reactions allowed him to narrowly avoid Hinata's strikes, but he was still battered and bruised nonetheless.

He could not hold back the pride swelling in his chest. The old Hinata would not have been able to hit him in such ways, let alone hurt a fly. While confidence was still a major problem for her, she was more willing to do what needed to be done. Hinata stood straight as she shook her head.

"The Gentle Fist technique will take us no further on its own Neji." announced the heiress. "It's time we take this battle to the next level." Her cousin responded with a nod as they both entered a new stance each. Goku smiled as he saw their respective positions. They seemed more natural for the duo than the stance of the Gentle Fist.

Neji has his right arm behind himself as he held both his hands flat, his right leg raised slightly. Hinata's, on the other hand, placed more emphasis on her left foot while the other one was touching the ground by the toes. These were both styles taught to them by Fu back in their younger days. They remained still as statues, waiting for the first move. Hinata suddenly leapt forward with her right arm reared back.

Neji raised his arm to block the attack, but found himself pushed back by an energy blast. He caught himself before running forward, energy gathered in his palms. Hinata began forming hand signs as she stood her ground. Neji reared his hand back as he began to skid to a halt. He activated his Byakugan as he came to a full stop.

"8 TRIGRAMS POWER PALM!" shouted Neji as he threw a large palm shaped blast forward. Hinata soon finished her hand signs as Neji's attack sped towards her. She reared back her fist as it began to glow.

"8 TRIGRAMS SPEAR SHOT!" Hinata threw her fist forward, unleashing a spinning column of energy. Both chakra attacks collided, but Hinata's attack was able to pierce Neji's own technique. The blast hit Neji dead center, an explosion ensuing. No signs of movement came from the area as the smoke began to dissipate, Hinata worrying for Neji's safety.

"N...not bad Hinata-sama." Hinata felt a mix of relief and tension as Neji was found to be standing in the rotation stance. This surprised many elders, but Hiashi and Hizashi smiled at this development. "Had I not used rotation that attack would have rendered me unable to continue. The elders would be hard pressed to call you unworthy to lead after an attack like that."

The heiress felt the smile creep up her face. She could tell a few of the elders were keeping their eyes on the battle while others seemed to be conversing amongst themselves. Two of them seemed to be paying more attention to Neji than her. She shook her head as she looked to her cousin, the teen smiling as he remained in his stance. "It's time to give the elders a show they shall never forget."

Hinata nodded as she entered the same stance. The two fighters rushed each other as they reared back their fists. They clashed fists on several occasions as they tried to hit each other's chakra points. Neither made headway even with the Byakugan in play. Hinata jumped back, spinning in the air.

"8 TRIGRAMS 64 ROTATIONS BURNING BLADE!" Hinata landed on her feet as she swiped her arm, sending out a red wave like energy blast. Neji responded in kind as he quickly spun on his toe.

"8 TRIGRAMS 64 PALMS GREAT WALL!" A spinning barrier formed around him, quickly approaching Hinata's attack. The moves clash as each held their position. Fu and Caliban were used to this kind of struggle when it came to ki attacks, but many in the audience were stunned. The duo continued to push more and more chakra into their attacks, causing them to move back and forth.

Hinata began to sweat as Neji's attack only continued to grow in size. She thought back to when Neji had first come up with the attack.

* * *

 _Flashback, Rocky Canyon_

 _Fu and Neji could be found having a one on one battle. The branch Hyūga wanted to push more chakra into the 8 Trigrams 64 Palms Rotation, but didn't want others to be hurt. Hinata was too stubborn for once to be left out of the experience. She watched as Fu powered up the energy in his sword. Neji responded in kind as he performed his technique._

 _"8 TRIGRAMS 64 PALMS GREAT WALL!" shouted Neji as he slammed his fist on the ground. Fu launched a powerful beam towards the youth's growing sphere, causing an energy struggle to ensue. Hinata watched as Neji's sphere began to grow in size. Soon, however, she began to grow worried as it started moving towards her._

 _"You're letting out too much power Neji!" shouted Fu. "You're going to hit Hinata!" Neji tried to stop his attack, but his hand was virtually glued to the ground by the pressure of his attack. The branch Hyūga grunted as he tried once again._

 _"I...I CAN'T STOP IT!" Hinata began to run as the sphere grew larger and larger. She tripped over a rock, bringing her flight to a halt. Fu quickly responded as he ended his attack. He pointed his sword at the teen, zapping the energy out of his attack._

 _Neji fell to the ground as his attack was canceled out. Fu soon helped him into a sitting position as he held a hand on his shoulder._

 _"You we're pushing too much power into that technique. Not only did it begin to expand backwards, but the pressure from the outside chakra kept you from moving. You need to have a better grasp on your chakra before you can ever use that move again. I won't place it as a forbidden jutsu now, but next time I might not be hesitant." Neji nodded weakly as Hinata ran over to the duo._

* * *

 _Present Day, Chūnin Exams Preliminary Stage_

Hinata carefully monitored Neji's attack. He definitely had better control, but the move still expanded in the opposite direction of her. Neji seemed to be struggling to keep the move in balance as his hand was mere inches from the ground. Hinata could tell that his control would flop any second. She sighed as she looked Neji in the eyes.

'A bold strategy Neji.' thought Hinata. She dropped her attack, allowing the semi-sphere to come flying at her. She took the brunt of the attack as she was pushed back. The pressure was finally to the point where Neji could remove his hand to cancel the attack. Goku became worried as he couldn't feel Hinata's energy, practically hanging over the guard rail as he tried to find her..

"Where are you Hinata!?" whispered Goku to himself. His tail began to point downwards, catching his attention. He followed its course to see Hinata sitting in a crater in the wall below. His eyes widened as she coughed up blood. The heiress started to descend to the ground.

Time slowed as she seemed unresponsive. Fu began to get up from his seat to catch Hinata, but a wave of pressure rolled over him. He noticed Caliban was looking directly at him. This wave of energy he was giving off was almost like a warning as he pointed to Hinata. He wanted Fu to see something he did.

He focused as he was still moving too fast for anyone to see. He finally squinted his eyes as he saw a familiar mark on the heiress's side, which had been partially revealed from the force of her falling. There was a black, jagged line that was visible for only a second before it seemed to disappear into her skin. Fu's shocked expression was hidden behind his dragon mask. That kind of line could only lead to one thing: a seal.

Fu finally gave in to the killing intent and sat down, knowing if something happened he'd probably get some heat for it. Within that short span of time, Hinata's consciousness began to return. She didn't know how long she'd been falling for, but there shouldn't be this much distance between the wall and the ground. Was she still ready for combat, or was her life about to flash before her eyes. Knowing the fall would most likely mean her immediate defeat, Hinata closed her eyes once more.

'I gave it my all.' thought the heiress. She could feel the air hit her faster as she approached the ground. 'I hope I made you proud Goku-kun.'

"WAKE UP HINATA!" Hinata's eyes shot open as she threw her arms above her head. She found herself in a handstand, her head inches from the ground. She didn't know where this burst of energy came from, but it very much saved her life. She flopped onto her stomach as her arms gave out.

Hayate ran over to check on Hinata as Neji fell to his knees. She was definitely breathing, but she had completely exhausted herself. He then turned to Neji, the older teen in no better condition. There was no possible way Neji could continue in this fight if Hinata were to find a way to stand. It was a tough call to make, but he soon shook his head in response.

"Hinata Hyūga was the first to hit the ground and is unconscious!" began Hayate. "While Neji Hyūga is also in no condition to continue, *COUGH!* he remains conscious! With tournament rules in play, Neji Hyūga is the winner!" The crowd went wild over the display of power. Goku jumped down from the fighters area to check on Hinata.

The girl had a peaceful look on her face for someone who just lost. She was very much alive, but he couldn't help but worry over her. He sighed in relief as her chest steadily rose and fell as it should. He smiled as he brushed aside some of her hair. The medical staff soon came by and carted Hinata off.

"Thank you." said a familiar voice. Goku turned to see Neji being loaded on a stretcher himself. He walked over as the branch Hyūga continued to look him in the eye. "If you had not called out to Hinata-sama, she'd be in much worst condition." Goku nodded as Neji too was taken from the ring.

Fu looked to Hiashi, a frown hidden behind his mask. The clan head made way for the exit, his brother and youngest daughter right behind him. The purple man looked to Hiruzen.

"You don't need my permission to take your leave Dragon." answered the Hokage before Fu could even ask. "Go on." The Nisekuma clan head bowed respectfully to the Hokage before taking off. Goku was soon among the others as the screen ran the roulette. Hayate nodded as the next fighters were chosen.

"Would Tenten and Temari Subaku please enter the arena?" asked Hayate. Both fighters made their way down to the stage as Goku leaned against the rail once again. He didn't pay much attention to the match at hand as his mind was on a certain Hyūga girl. If he didn't have a match at some point, he would have flown out to make sure she arrived safely at the hospital. He heard a groan as Kiba joined him on the rail.

"I cannot believe that fight between Neji and Hinata!" shouted Kiba. "Those two were insane! I knew Neji was powerful but not only does he far out rank me, but Hinata was able to keep up with him! Talk about the surprise of the century." Goku jerked in response as he looked to Kiba.

"Excuse me?" asked Goku with a twitch of his right brow. Kiba sent a small smile to Goku.

"Well it's no secret that Hinata hasn't been the best fighter around." Goku sounded his disagreement as he shook his head.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean? Haven't you seen her in some of our sparring? She's an absolute beast on the battlefield." Kiba tsked as he looked to the stage.

"Just face it Goku. Hinata is soft just like a civilian girl. She has no business fighting opponents she can't deal with. The only thing she had going for her during the mission to wave was her ranged attacks and Byakugan." Goku shook his head as his frown grew.

"She fought a powerful opponent and did a number on him! From what I was told you threw one kunai and hid behind a tree!" Kiba growled as he looked Goku in the eyes. Akamaru covered his ears as he lowered to the ground, not wanting any part of this argument. His human partner stepped closer to Goku, nearly dodging a large spike ball in the process.

"She had to have her rear end saved by a purple headed weirdo! Then she fell to a sound based attack from a weaker enemy! If you hadn't killed that one guy from what I've heard her brains would be few and far between! The point is that she always needs to be saved! She has to be the weakest link on the team."

Goku clenched his fist as Kiba held his arms to his sides. "It's no wonder Kurenai-sensei spends so much time with her on training. She's too timid to finish a job. The only thing she'd be good for is a distraction, to our enemies and us." The saiyan pushed Kiba backwards, saving him from a huge gust of wind.

Kiba breathes heavily as he saw the large amount of kunai sticking in the wall. He looked to Goku with a smile. "You really saved my bacon there! Thanks Goku!"

"Take that back." Kiba raised a brow as Akamaru ran behind Sakura's legs. The pinkette was going to tell Kiba off, but the energy coming off Goku scared her. It was the same energy from when he told Ino off years ago, only it was much more potent. "Take everything you said about Hinata back."

"Why should I? All of it was true!" He received a slap on the back of the head. The Inuzuka turned to see that Sasuke was the culprit. "What!?"

"Just take it back baka." groaned the Uchiha. "Besides, you couldn't be any more wrong. Hinata-san has grown since our younger days, far more than I could say for you." Kiba rubbed the back of his head as he growled.

"Like I have to take your crap! I know I'm right!" He turned to face Goku, only for the boy to be right up in his face. His eyes were nearly blank as he bared his teeth. The saiyan has half a mind to throw Kiba across Konoha.

A huge gust hit the group, causing them to turn their attention to the stage. Tenten was seen laying down on a large fan, unconscious and beaten. Temari smirked as she stood beside her weapon. Hayate raised his arm in the air.

"Temari Subaku is the winner by knockout!" shouted Hayate. Lee and Guy were quick to jump down and check on their teammate. Goku watched on in shock as Lee held Tenten in his arms. She was one of his good friends from the older group. Guy and Lee returned to the waiting area as Tenten was carted off.

That was three of his friends that were beaten to a pulp, and he didn't even get to see Tenten's fight. The ground beneath him cracked a bit as he looked down. He felt an unending need to let off some steam. He hoped that his luck would be good enough to get a fight right here and now. "May Goku Toyotomi and Kiba Inuzuka come forth!"

Goku steeled his gaze as he looked to the arena. That was definitely convenient. He hopped down to the arena, not caring about the shocked looks he received. Kiba growled as he looked to Akamaru.

"Let's go Akamaru!" shouted Kiba. His partner shook in fear as he hid behind Sakura. "Come on boy! We've got a Chūnin vest to win!" The pinkette lowered herself down to pet the scared puppy.

"It's okay boy." reassured Sakura. "Goku wouldn't dare hurt you. You just have to make sure you stay clear of that walking target you call your partner." Kiba cried out indignantly upon Sakura's words as Akamaru begrudgingly followed him. The two teammates were standing off as tension filled the arena.

"Fighters ready?" asked Hayate once again. Goku didn't even take a stance as Kiba entered the Inuzuka stance. The two nodded as Hayate dropped his arm. "Hajime!" Kiba rushed forward with a kunai in hand.

He went to hit Goku, but only met open air. He turned to find Goku was where he once stood, the same silent anger rolling off of him. Kiba threw the blade at the saiyan, an explosive tag on the end. Goku grabbed the kunai just as the tag exploded. Kiba smirked at this, looking to his partner for reassurance.

"Is that the best you've got?" asked a cold voice. Goku was once again in Kiba's face as he stood between the boy and his ninken. The Inuzuka tried to throw a punch, but Goku easily caught it. He pulled with all his might but his opponent's grip was strong. "If that's it then I'm not impressed."

Goku released his hold, allowing Kiba to roll backwards. The Inuzuka growled as he hopped to his feet.

"Don't mock me!" roared Kiba as he rushed forward in a spinning vortex. "FANG OVER FANG TECHNIQUE!" Goku swiped at the attack, smacking Kiba in the face. The saiyan placed a hand on his opponent's back. The Inuzuka tried to stand up, but Goku was placing enough pressure to keep him on the ground.

Kiba growled as he scrambled futilely to get up. He looked to Goku's unwrapped tail and smirked. "If that's how you want to play it monkey boy!" The Inuzuka smacked his foot down on Goku's extra appendage, causing him to shout in pain. The others in the stands were shocked that Kiba would use Goku's weakness in such a way, let alone display it to everyone.

Kiba pulled out a kunai as he readied to stab the furry appendage. Goku felt almost paralyzed as his friend raised the blade high in the air. The saiyan found the strength in him to jerk his tail, making Kiba stab his own hand instead. The Inuzuka screamed in pain as he grabbed his wounded hand. He turned just in time to receive a punch in the face from Goku.

The saiyan held nothing back as he kicked Kiba high into the air. The Inuzuka hit the ceiling almost immediately. It took a while for him to start falling back to earth. Goku caught his teammate before he could hit the ground. He laid Kiba on the ground as Akamaru came to check on him.

"Hinata would've made me work for victory. What exactly does that mean for you?" The saiyan walked to the steps as he left Kiba on the ground. Hayate raised his arm in the air after another coughing bout.

"Goku Toyotomi wins!" shouted Hayate. No cheers came as the people were dumbfounded. Who was this child? Was his clan as powerful as the Hyūga? All questions went unanswered as Goku began to walk towards the exit.

"You know they won't let anyone that's not family into her room." stated a familiar, motherly voice. Goku sent his glare to Kurenai, only to soften it upon sight of her. His sensei stepped forward as she lowered to meet him. "You need to be here to support your friends. I promise we'll visit Hinata as soon as we can."

Goku took advantage of their locations limited view and hugged Kurenai. The woman reciprocated the gesture, knowing full well why Goku has so much tension. She needed to have a talk with Kiba after the prelims were over. The two broke apart as the woman stood up. They walked back to the fighter's area.

* * *

 _Nearby Hospital_

Hiashi burst through the front door as he ran to find his daughter. He had practically left Hanabi and Hizashi in the dust as he tried to keep up with the medics that took both Hinata and Neji to the hospital. He had to make sure his eldest child was alright. A nurse led him to the room where Hinata was being held. She look into the room before nodding to the Hyūga head.

"It appears you are not her only visitor today lord Hyūga." informed the woman. Hiashi became worried as he burst into the room. Two of the Hyūga elders were looking over his eldest daughter before they turned to him. The Hyūga head glared at the two in a way that was natural to his clan. One of the men stepped forward.

"I am afraid I will have to ask you to step out Hiashi." ordered the man. "We are in the process of an operation." The father growled as he looked to the man.

"What are you doing to my daughter?!" barked Hiashi. The other man held up an empty black bag in response. Hiashi's eyes widened at the sight of the bag. It meant something very bad was about to happen, something that would be concidered a taboo even back in Konoha's younger years.

"To ensure the safety of the Hyūga clan, we must remove Hinata's Byakugan. She has proven herself unable to lead us as a proper clan head. Vacate the room so we may begin the procedure." Hiashi secretly grabbed at a kunai as his normally calm face turned to one of fury.

"I want you to get out of here and never come near Hinata again." The elder shook his head in response.

"If she cannot be marked with the caged bird seal then this is the only alternative. It is for the good of Konoha and the Hyūga..." The kunai that once rested in Hiashi's hand scratched the man's cheek as it landed in the wall.

"Don't give me that hypocrisy!" Both elders were taken aback by the clan head's outburst. No man was foolish enough to defy the Hyūga elders, let alone raise a blade to them. "I will not stand by as you take away my daughter's sight! I want you to leave and never go near Hinata again!"

"If you cannot accept the truth then you were never truly ready to lead this clan! It is you who will be leaving today!" They felt a shift in the wind as some shinobi entered the room. The elder didn't even look back as he addressed the men. "Do what you must."

"So nice of you to comply gramps." stated a friendly voice from behind. "I was worried we'd have a fight on our hands, though this team could definitely handle it." Both elders found themselves with their arms behind their backs. The one who was speaking turned to see Fu Nisekuma accompanied by Ibiki and a few other jonin. "You two are under arrest for attempting an unauthorized operation and breaking Konoha's ninth amendment brought into effect by the fourth Hokage himself before his demise."

The elders were speechless at this news. When had the Yellow Flash enacted such a law? Hiashi must have told him about their use of the disgusting practice. Fu nodded to the shinobi accompanying him with a smirk. "I'm sure you two will love what comes next."

The two elders were lead towards the door as Hiashi moved out of the way. The elder holding the bag was jerking around in protest as he dropped the black bag. The other man fought out of the jonin's grip as he ran at Fu. He stopped just short of the purple shinobi's blade. Ibiki grabbed the man from behind and held him in a tight lock.

"Go ahead and struggle." taunted the I and T ninja. "The more you fight this the more fun I get to have." He began to pull the elder along as he continued to struggle.

"This isn't over!" shouted the man. "You will suffer for this Nisekuma trash! You have made an enemy you cannot hope to overcome!" Fu sounded his interest as he put his sword away.

"Did you say that last part in a mirror, 'cause the Hokage will have some strong words for the elders when he hears about this?" The elder's face fell in gut wrenching horror as he was dragged out of the room. Hiashi sighed as he was left alone with his eldest daughter and Fu. The Nisekuma sounded his relief as he looked to Hiashi. "Glad I got here in the nick of time."

"I am indeed grateful for your assistance." agreed Hiashi. "I could not bare the thought of Hinata losing her ability to see." Fu let his friendly smile dropped as he looked to the Hyūga clan head in the eye.

"Now then, it seems I need some background information. Those elders were talking some serious trash and I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with Hinata." Hiashi let his glair return as he met the Nisekuma's own gaze. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me Hyūga-san."

"It does not concern you Fu-san. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my daughter." He walked towards Hinata until Fu out a hand on the man's arm.

"When it involves one of my old students it becomes my concern. I know Hinata's different. She's not like the other people of your clan but that by no means warrants an attack on her person. I want answers and you're clearly the only one who can provide." The Hyūga head shook his head in response.

"What you are asking for is an S-Class secret. Not even Hinata knows this about herself." Fu continued to glare at Hiashi as the man kept his eyes on his eldest daughter. The father sighed as he turned to the purple shinobi. "If you must know then I must in turn ask you to wait for Hinata to be released from the hospital as I fear it is time she knew as well."

Fu nodded in response as he flew out the window. Hiashi sighed a breath of relief as he sat in the chair next to his daughter's hospital bed. He looked down to his child as he heard his brother and Hanabi approach. "I have failed you Hinata. You and your mother."

* * *

 **That's it for the chapter! I know these chapters are a little short but it's kinda hard to write the Chūnin Exams at the point of the prelims. I also couldn't really write Temari and Tenten's fight for some odd reason. I hope having the argument between Goku and Kiba can at least show itself as a good reason for the apparent skip.**

 **Anywho, what do you think of Goku and Kiba's clash? Who will be moving on in the exams? What is Hiashi keeping from Hinata? Remember to leave a review and I'll get back to you ASAP. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	19. Lee vs Gaara! The Hyūga Conspiracy!

**Welcome back. It's time for the prelims to come to a close. Who will be moving on to the final exam? Will Lee be able to defeat Gaara this time around? Before we answer those questions, let's answer questions left by reviewers.**

 **Guest (1):** **Heh. With College coming up I wouldn't actually bet on it.**

 **Guest (2): I'm sorry that it's taking so long. I'm trying to get ready for college coming up and I have a lot of family birthdays and activities lately.**

 **TalentedAnt 386: Mostly.**

 **Noobmaster: 1) Sorry to say that Sakura doesn't like Goku that way in this story. That outcome might have happened if we were in the original story.**

 **2) You'll just have to wait and see.**

 **3) The sequels will not be named Switched at Tragedy 2 or 3. That kind of thing will be revealed closer to the end of this story.**

 **KDT123: I don't plan on those two living under the same roof until they're married, which might not happen until a sequel. I already have big plans for the duo.**

 **Dandy Wheat: Excellent question. It'll be revealed soon. Yep, Fu is going to be a father. I just didn't know how to handle the prelims since this is my first time with a Naruto fanfic (not including original version of the story) and I've already made huge changes.**

 **All for Anime: Let's just say the eye stealing monster will be dead before he originally died in canon.**

 **As for the poll, Arale has gone up by one vote, putting her at twelve votes in total. She's only three away from the target number. You still have until the end of the Chūnin Exams Arc (Konoha Crush is included) to vote for Mr. Uzumaki Namikaze's pairing, so don't be discouraged by Arale being the closest. Anywho, let's get on with the chapter.**

 **I don't own Naruto or Dragon Ball. I do own OC objects, techniques, and characters unless stated otherwise.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Forest of Death, Konohagakure_

Goku and Kurenai joined the group just in time to see the next fighters displayed on the large screen. The saiyan was surprised to see that Shikamaru and Shino were up against each other. This was going to make things very interesting. Shikamaru was a lazy genius and Shino was a silent ranged fighter. If Shikamaru didn't give up then this could go either way in Goku's opinion.

The aforementioned lazy fighter groaned as he looked to the arena. He actually had to fight? He didn't want to do that. Sure he would've fought had his opponent been a woman, but that was a matter of pride. He planned to give up on the match when he felt a strong hand grab his shoulder.

"Good luck Shikamaru." wished Ino. "You better represent us well." The blonde's grip became tighter, causing Shikamaru slight pain. "If you even think about throwing the match then I'll make sure to personally teach you a lesson." The normally lazy fighter slowly nodded as Ino let go of his shoulder.

Both he and Shino made their way to the arena floor as their fellow Genin cheered them on. Shikamaru tried to keep up his usual appearance, but anyone who knew him could tell that Ino scared the life out of him. Shino was... well no one could really tell what he was thinking. The two fighters soon stood face to face in the arena. Hayate drank more water as he looked between Shino and Shikamaru.

"Both fighters ready?" asked Hayate as he put the bottle away. Both teens nodded, though Shikamaru's expression betrayed a little hesitation. Hayate nodded as he looked down. "Hajime!" The man jumped back as Shino summoned a swarm of bugs from his coat.

Shikamaru pulled out a kunai as he hesitantly crouched down. He hopped back as the Aburame's insects came flying at him. He threw his weapon at the insects, but they moved out of his way. He cursed his luck as he ran along the side of the competitors' area. He looked back to see that his opponent's symbiotic partners were gaining on him.

He made a quick decision as he turned around. He waited for the insects to be in position as he threw a tag at the ground. The parchment exploded after a few seconds, catching both the bugs and Shikamaru in the blast. Shino sent out a beetle to scout the area. The large insect checked the smoke for chakra but found no signs.

There was a mix of confusion as no one could see the pineapple haired teen. Goku and Sakura smirked as they shifted their gaze. Shino turned around to block a kunai stab from Shikamaru. The kunai plopped to the ground as Shikamaru vanished in a puff of smoke. Shino was shocked as he felt himself stif up.

"Look, could you just give up?" asked Shikamaru from his place behind Shino. "I'm kinda trying to keep my head and I really wanna get out of here so I can watch the clouds. I still have plenty enough energy to hold you in this position. Let's just get it over with." Shino didn't give an answer as he stood in place.

Shikamaru groaned as he looked to the Aburame's left leg. If Shino waited long enough he could run out the jutsu's time limit and pin the Nara with a kunai. The thing is that he had no idea how long the jutsu really had till it ran out. Shikamaru was mapping out his next move when he noticed Shino's shoulders drop.

"Surrender Shikamaru-san." demanded Shino. "I have the advantage." The cloud watcher raised his brow in response. He suddenly looked down to see a swarm of locusts were all over him. "It is either defeat with dignity or humiliation in front of the clan heads and Daimyos."

Goku couldn't help but feel bad yet humored. He was the one who gave Shino the locusts in the first place. It was partially his fault Shikamaru found himself in this position. It was basically a waiting game at this point as neither fighter seemed ready to give up. Shikamaru shook his head and looked down.

'Ino is going to kill me for this.' Shikamaru released the jutsu as he raised his hand in the air. "I give up. I'd rather keep my dignity then lose my pants." Ino began to fume as Asuma put a hand on her shoulder.

"Shino Aburame is the victor!" declared Hayate as he stood in between the two fighters. The locusts flew back to Shino as he nodded his head. The two walked back up to the stands to rejoin their respective teams. Goku could definitely tell that Shikamaru was getting the shouting of a lifetime as Ino raged at him. This fact was lost on him, however, as his attention was drawn to the other side of the room.

There was only one match remaining. The one most genin had been dreading and praying wouldn't be theirs to participate in. After all, no one wanted to face the dark eyed ninja from Sunagakure. He specifically dreaded the guy he knew was left to face this hidden powerhouse. "May Rock Lee and Gaara Subaku come to the stage for the final preliminary match!"

Lee shuttered a bit at this development. Let it be known that he loved a good challenge just as much as Guy-sensei. This Gaara character, however, seemed to have an overwhelming power rolling off of him. He didn't exactly know if he was up for this battle. He felt a hand on his shoulder, placing a strong grip he'd know from anywhere.

"Chin up my youthful pupil!" started Guy in an inspiring tone. Lee turned to face his idle and mentor. "I know this enemy may scare you, but you need to remember that you have been preparing your whole life to become one of the greatest ninjas this village has ever seen. To do that, you must overcome this wall in your path with your flames of youth and a Dynamic Entry!" Lee started to tear up at these words, causing Sakura to roll her eyes and Goku to chuckle.

"I shall do my absolute best, for my team and Fu-sensei!" declared Lee as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He turned to the stage and hopped down in a similar style to Goku's entrance. Gaara stood across from him, having gotten there a little while ago. Hayate coughed as he tried to clear his throat.

"Both fighters ready?" asked the proctor before he coughed into his elbow. Gaara just shot him a glare that just screamed "Get it over with," while Lee instantly entered a fighting stance. "This will be the final match of the preliminary rounds! Hajime!"

The cork to Gaara's gourd popped off, allowing sand to fall to the ground. Lee charged up his energy as he attempted to match his opponent's own strength. The pressure from his outburst sent a large amount of the Suna nin's sand flying into the wall behind him. Most inhabitants of the room were shocked by the sheer power Lee was displaying. The teen suddenly disappeared in an instant.

Gaara's sand was almost instantaneous as it rose to block a hard punch from Lee. The green wearing fighter repeatedly tried to fight his way through the wall of sand, but was unable to find an opening. He tried pushing ki into his hand, only being successful in punching the sand back a bit. Gaara looked Lee's way, causing the sand to wrap around his arm. The green beast began to feel pain in his arm, but he used a ki blast to blow the sand off.

"I shall not fall prey to your tricks!" shouted Lee. "I will be moving on to the final exams!" Lee flew up in the air and landed on the roof. He sprung forward, his leg extended. "Dynamic Entry!"

Gaara lifted his sand to block, but grunted as he felt a hard pain in his stomach. Lee moved fast enough this time to get a kick in. A hit, on him! Gaara growled as he made his sand flow up Lee's leg. His angered eyes met his opponent's determined ones.

"You hit me." stated Gaara. "No one hits me and lives to tell the tale!" Lee screamed as the sand embedded itself into his leg. He hobbled back as he escaped Gaara's physical reach. He tried to formulate a plan as he continued to hop away from the sand ninja.

He had to think of something as he felt Gaara's presence getting closer and closer. The green fighter decided to charge some more energy in his hands as he took one more hop back. He reared his right fist back as Gaara's sand began to rise around him.

"Burning Leaf!" Lee threw the first blast forward, sending a red and white blast towards the sand user. It pushed through the sand that rose in front of the green fighter, allowing him to hop out of the way. Gaara jumped back to avoid the attack, using his sand to push him higher. That's when he saw the second attack coming straight for him.

The blast punctured straight through Gaara as Lee landed on his good foot. The green fighter let out a sigh of relief as the sand user began to fall to the ground. His ease faded fast, however, as his other leg became ensnared by sand. He watched as Gaara suddenly turned into sand. The real Gaara was suddenly in front of him, a wave of killer intent flowing off of him.

Lee tried to use his energy to free himself from the sand, but it was as if another source was pushing back. The sand began to surround Lee as he continued to gather his energy. The green fighter struggled as he gathered energy in his hands. He shot one of the blasts at Gaara's face, causing the grains to release him. Both Lee and Gaara fell to the ground at this point.

The green beast found himself sitting up as his legs were writhing in pain. Hayate sighed as he noticed the condition of Lee's legs. He raised his hand to call the match, but he found sand wrapping around his face. Lee felt the wave of killing intent as Gaara stood up. The crazy sand nin let an evil smile crawl up his face as he looked Lee in the eye.

"Perhaps I misjudged you earlier." This made Lee confused beyond belief as he noticed more sand coming his way. A dark energy signature hit all energy sensors like a truck as Gaara's pupils shrunk. "Your blood will definitely tide Mother over till I kill Goku Toyotomi! SAND COFFIN!"

The sand began to form a mound around Lee faster than he could react. The sand rose into the air as it fully encompassed Lee. Goku reaches for Zabuza's sword as he prepared to intervene, but he felt a light squeeze on his tail. He looked back to see Sakura shaking her head. She pointed to the sand, now shaped like a coffin.

At first Goku couldn't tell what was going on, but a fearful realization hit him as he felt a sudden spike in energy.

"DON'T DO IT!" shouted Goku in worry. Gaara took this as a sign of Goku's fear as he made the coffin squeeze Lee tighter. Feeling satisfied with himself, Gaara readied to end this now.

"SAND BURRIA..." Gaara stopped as a light began to shine from the coffin. Guy suddenly realized what was going on as he too began to worry for his student.

"KAIO KEN HIDDEN LOTUS COMBINATION!" shouted Lee from the inside the constricting construct. The coffin exploded as Lee let out a battle cry. The teen's skin had turned red and his hair was floating up as his energy made a crimson aura around him.

Kakashi looked to Guy in surprise.

"You taught your disciple to use the Eight Gates?" asked Kakashi as he eyed his "rival." Guy nodded as he held the same shocked look.

"I figured it would help Lee unlock his flames of youth." said Guy as he kept his eyes on his student. "This Kaio Ken, however, is entirely new to me. Whatever it is, it's bringing out a lot of energy. How else could he have such a powerful glow." Gaara growled as Lee continued to float in the air.

How long was this man going to try his patience. His mother needed blood and she needed it now. This was supposed to be an easy score! He growled as he readied his sand once more. This would just make for a more satisfying hunt.

Gaara had little time to react as Lee disappeared. He then found himself on the other side of a powerful kick. Lee had an enraged look in his eye as he quickly switched to a strong punch. Most of the audience looked on in half shock, seeing as there had already been plenty of surprising sights coming from Konoha today. Lee was moving like clockwork as he continued to out maneuver the sand nin's abilities.

Most of the genin left were cheering the green beast turned crimson on, but those who knew the first part of his combined technique knew better. Lee was putting himself at risk with the damage he had already taken. The Guy lookalike was already fast approaching his limit, and Gaara showed no signs of slowing down. The sand bin was finally able to get a sand wall up as he blocked the last punch of Lee's combo. He took deep breaths as he made the sand wrap around the crimson beast's arm.

He smiled as he made the sand bend Lee's arm out of shape. This forced the teen to land, feeling the incredible pain of his still injured legs. Hayate began to claw at the sand that was over his mouth, gaining the assistance of the other shinobi. Once the sand was removed from his mouth, Hayate began to breath in and out like he wasn't sickly.

The group of shinobi turned to see Gaara torturing Lee as he tried to fight his way out of the sand. The sand nin moved his home element to encompass Lee's body, ready to finish the job. Hayate raised his hand to call the match on account of Gaara's attack on him, but Guy decided to make his move as he rushed towards his student. He watched as Lee began to fall out of the state, his hair beginning to fall once more. At one last scream of pain, Lee was yanked out of the sand by Guy.

Gaara was the most shocked of all, not expecting such mercy. He watched as Guy laid his student down on the ground. He took a step forward as medical staff ran to check on Lee.

"Why?" asked the sand nin. Guy didn't look back at Gaara as he kept checking on his student. "He already lost. Why did you save him?" Guy placed a hand on Lee's chest as he sighed.

"He is my student and... he is precious to me." answered Guy. Gaara's eyes widened as Goku and Sakura jumped down to meet the fighter. Goku got down on his knees as he looked over his childhood friend. The main medic shook his head as he looked to Guy.

"I need to talk to you." stated the man. Guy nodded as he reluctantly followed the medic. The man looked Guy dead in the eyes. "I know you two are close, so close that everyone in the village knows it, but I have some bad news. With what he's done to himself, on top of the damage done by Gaara Subaku, I'm afraid to say that his career as a shinobi is over."

Guy's eyes seemed to be petrified into a shocked state as the main medic helped the others take Gaara away on a stretcher. Goku's eyes were hidden behind his hair as he watched Lee be taken away. Gaara made his way back to the stands, more confused as he's ever been in his life. Unknown to him, Goku's eyes were watching him at every step. The saiyan growled as he clenched his fists.

'Mark my words Gaara Subaku, I will avenge Lee.' thought Goku in his rage. 'No body messes with my friends and gets away with it. No one!' Goku flew out as Hayate stepped forward.

"Gaara Subaku attacked the proctor, usually making for immediate elimination." began the man. "However, Rock Lee was injured beyond continuation and Mighty Guy interrupted the match. With the penalties accounted for, Gaara Subaku moves on to the final exam." There was a wave of disappointment among the Konoha 12 as they looked to the sand nin. Gaara said nothing as he looked down to the stage.

'He is my student and... he's precious to me.' thought Gaara as he replayed Guy's response in his head. He looked to the exit as he watched Guy walk out. 'How could that kind of love actually exist?' A feeling in his gut made him unsure of this whole event.

* * *

A few days passed by before things settled down. Each contestant was given a whole month to train for the upcoming final exam. Most sensei were teaching their genin to the best of their abilities so that they could come out on top. Those who didn't make it either went back home with their teams or stuck around to route for their friends and village. Hinata Hyūga was not one of those fortunate options.

Due to her over exertion in her battle against Neji, she found herself staying a few extra days in the hospital. She never actually liked being in the hospital for too long, but she was taught at a young age to get used to it. After all, the Hyūga medics could only go so far and even then she seemed to be exempted from their best effort. Hinata was very eager to get out of this medical wing and back to her team. She sat patiently as her lower back began to itch.

She quickly looked around to make sure no one was looking before scratching the itch. This wasn't the first time she had this unspeakable irritation. It's this kind of action that her father tried to train out of her when she was younger. He didn't stop her when she did it in private, but he still held a high intolerance to the action. Years went by and she found no remedy for the strange itch.

None, that is, except when a certain Toyotomi came into play. He seemed to know just the right place to scratch, using the area around his tail as an example. It was an awkward moment for her, but it helped her get through some even more embarrassing times. She stopped scratching as she heard the door's handle jiggle. The medical nin walked in, a smile on his face.

"I have great news Hyūga-sama." declared the doctor. "You have a clean bill of health. You still have to rest for a few days before you can continue your training, but you're free to return to the Hyūga Compound and visit your friends." Hinata nodded in response, allowing the doctor to take his leave. She was quick to reacquire her belongings and head home.

She missed her old bed and seeing the few friendly members of her clan every morning. She was almost sprinting as she rushed with excitement. No need to fly since it could give away Goku's advantage. She soon reached her destination as she skidded to a stop. She calmed herself as she walked into the establishment.

She smiled as she received some greetings. It didn't matter to her if there was hidden venom or common respect. She took them all with a calm and patient smile. She soon came across her family's quarters when she came to a slight stop. She felt a familiar energy on the other side of the door.

She carefully slid it open, only to be met with Fu Nisekuma and her father sitting across from each other. Seeing it as an important meeting, she began to shut the door. Her father held up His hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"You may come in Hinata." notified Hiashi. Hinata walked in slowly as Fu turned to smile at her. He nodded his head towards the girl.

"Hey Hinata-chan." greeted Fu. Hinata bowed in response.

"It is a pleasure to see you again Master Fu." replied the shy Hyūga. Hiashi gestured to the seat beside her former teacher with his usual frown.

"Sit my daughter." ordered Hiashi. "You are an important part of this meeting after all." Hinata's brow raised as she obeyed her father. The Hyūga head sighed as he looked down. He sighed as he grabbed an object in his hands.

He decided to rip the bandage off as he looked to his daughter. "I know I've been hard on you for the past few years of your life Hinata. I would be lying if I said you never lived up to my expectations. I have no one to thank for your progression but those you have grown close to, especially Fu Nisekuma for taking you on as one of his students."

"You don't have to be so flattering." said Fu as he rubbed the back of his head. "Hinata had a lot of potential and I was determined to help her reach it." Hiashi nodded as Hinata remained quiet. He returned his gaze to his daughter.

"I was hesitant at first to trust your first true teacher. No one knew where the Nisekuma clan came from and an unknown has always been known as a potential danger. It wasn't till Neji described Nisekuma-san and declared that he would be joining you a few weeks after did I look into the matter myself. I remember that day you battled the disciple of Mighty Guy." Hinata's eyes widened, unaware that her father had been there.

* * *

 _Flashback, Nisekuma Estate_

 _Hiashi walked over to the side of the building, not wanting Hinata or Neji to know he was present. Hearing from Neji that Fu Nisekuma worked with sensory abilities such as chakra sensitivity, he used an old suppression technique to hide himself. He looked into the window and saw many young genin wearing the uniform that Hinata came home with that first day. He easily spotted Neji among the crowd, but he could not find Hinata. That's when he noticed two students locked in combat._

 _One was easily recognizable as Rock Lee, one of Neji's teammates and Guy's personal student. He still wore the green jumpsuit his sensei was well known for but over it he wore the Nisekuma uniform. It wasn't this boy that originally caught his attention. It was the boy's opponent that surprised him. His own daughter, the one who could barely keep up with his youngest child._

 _Hinata was going toe to toe with a foe that should've been way beyond her limits. She didn't seem to be the shy and timid girl he once saw her as. The way she threw out sealless jutsu and clashed, Hiashi could clearly tell that Hinata had become a warrior. He almost cheered as he saw Hinata knock Lee out of the arena. His daughter helped the boy up as a civilian girl brought over a pair of beans._

 _Hiashi watched as the two took the beans. He didn't get to see the effects as he heard a chuckle from behind. He turned to see Fu Nisekuma leaning against a tree._

 _"Did you enjoy the show Hyūga-sama?" asked the Nisekuma clan head. Hiashi made no response as he stood in silence. "Don't worry about the others hearing you. I usually have the place sound proof to distractions other than a powerful explosive." The Hyūga head sighed as he looked the purple man in the eye._

 _"Who are you, really?" asked Hiashi. "How did you make Hinata so strong?" Fu sighed as the smirk he held dropped._

 _"The first thing I'll tell you is I didn't do anything to Hinata other than unlock her potential. Everything else has been her own hard work and the help of her friends." Hiashi was taken aback by this news. The Nisekuma clan could unlock one's potential? The man steeled his gaze as he recomposed himself._

 _"And the second thing?" Fu stood up as he walked towards his home._

 _"If you want to know more I suggest you join me for tea this afternoon. I'd be happy to answer your questions." The purple man stopped as he looked back to the Hyūga head. "You have an amazing daughter. I'd be proud to have her if I were you."_

 _Hiashi said nothing as Fu walked into the estate._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hiashi sighed as he loosened his grip on the object in his grasp. He had to admit that he was greatly impressed since that day. He let up on Hinata's personal training just enough to not arouse suspicion, but even then he wasn't as successful at being her father as he should have been. He shook his head as he looked to his daughter. He could already tell that the surprise had not yet left her system as he looked her in the eye.

"From that day on I saw you as you really were." stated Hiashi. "You may have gained the calm and rational thinking of the Hyūga, but you are just as fierce and determined as your mother when you want to be." Fu's smirk slightly shifted as Hinata's eyes widened. Hiashi had never spoken of her mother since she died of illness after Hanabi was born. "If she was still here today she'd be proud of the warrior you have become."

"I am grateful that you feel this way father." thanked Hinata with a bow. "I do not have much memory of my mother from my younger years past Hinabi's birth. I always strived to be like her and be a kunoichi you'd be proud to call your daughter." Fu's smile completely dropped at this point as he looked Hiashi in the eye. The Hyūga head lowered his gaze as he placed the object he acquired on the ground before them.

"That is the main reason for this meeting Hinata." The Hyūga heiress's mood dropped as she looked to the object that laid before her. It was a red scroll with the Hyūga clan symbol engraved in it. She looked to her father for answers. "While I have told you about Hanabi's mother, I have told you nothing of your own."

This revelation brought great shock to Hinata. She and Hanabi had different mothers? This just didn't make sense! Her father gestured to the scroll with his hand. "I helped your mother to make this message for you, but through all these years I never could find the right time to give it to you."

Hinata slowly took the scroll as her father looked away. She popped the seal off, unrolling it to reveal its contents. She took a deep breath as she began to read the message aloud.

"Hey Tyke." read Hinata. She was a little taken aback by that greeting, but she kept going. "If you're reading this then either I got kicked out by the stupid old men that ran the Hyūga clan, I had to leave the planet or I died. If it was the first one I give you diplomatic permission to kick every single one of the elders where the sun doesn't shine." The Hyūga heiress felt very uncomfortable reading this message.

She didn't expect her mother to sound so crude. She ignored Fu's laughter as she pushed forward. "I'm not good with this sentimental crap. Heck, our kind never has been that way. I guess the only thing I can tell ya is to get strong and stay there."

Hiashi likes to his daughter with a softer frown. He knew this was hard to read, and it was just as hard to hear. "Apparently I'm s'posed to say some more thoughtful stuff, but I've already gone as soft as I can go without looking weak. I guess the only thing I could say other than that is to never let anyone put you down and to keep those precious to you close. I never told anyone this before, guess it'll be the first for our kind but, I love you Corrin, Hinata or whatever you end up being called when you're born."

Hiashi gave Hinata time to register the message as she lowered the scroll. The poor girl seemed confused beyond belief. She couldn't wrap her head around any of this! The heiress looked to her father, more uncertain than she had ever been in her life. "Father, who was my mother, what did she mean by our kind, and why did she mention leaving earth?"

"I figured her message wouldn't have been as informative as it should have been. As she stated, sentiment was never her strong suit." Hinata and Fu awaited patiently as Hiashi gathered himself. "Her name was Fasha, and she was someone who you could say was out of this world. I'll never forget that night we met: the night she literally crashed into my world."

* * *

 _Flashback, Miles from Konoha_

"I had gotten into a disagreement with my father that day, as young and stubborn men often do." _began Hiashi as he recounted that night. The young Hiashi looked up to the stars as he took a deep breath._ "A dear friend of mine had been moved to the branch family for disobeying the orders of the clan elders, and I was just as against this as I am now. Needing to clear my head, I had chosen to go star gazing on the far edge of Konohagakure's territory. I saw a bright star shining overhead and decided to make a wish, no matter how childish it would seem if I was caught."

 _"If this even works, then I have only one wish I have to ask." stated the younger Hiashi as he closed his eyes. "Give me the strength to abolish the Caged Bird Seal. Help me to free those wrongly treated in the branch family and to put the cursed elders in their place." He let out a sigh as he looked up. The star was still shining brightly in the sky._

"I had no idea if it would actually work, but I needed some way to reaffirm myself. Back then I was a big believer in fate, and it seemed like no power on this earth could ever change the ways of our clan." _Hiashi squinted his eyes as he focused on the star. It seemed to grow brighter as if it was coming straight for him. In fact, it was!_

 _"Crap!" The younger Hiashi jumped to the side as the star zoomed overhead. He followed its path as he watched the object crash into the ground with a large thud. He stood up as he saw the smoke rising from the crater._

"I had no idea where the star had come from, but it had crashed not too far from the village. Naturally I ran to make sure it had not rammed into the village and harmed innocent bystanders." _He soon arrived at his destination to find a metal sphere with a red glass semicircle extending from it. He gulped as he looked around._ "Despite all logic, even my better judgement, I had to know what this object was and if it was a potential threat."

 _Hiashi made his way towards the sphere, keeping his hand near his kunai pouch. He got close enough to get a better look of the unknown object, finding what looked like a hatch. He reached out to touch it, only for air to come flying out the sides of the door. He hopped back as he pulled out a kunai. The hatch practically fell off as it lowered to the ground._

 _He took a few steps forward as steam continued to roll out of the sphere. He began to see a figure sitting in some form of seat. He readied his blade as the figure became more visible. His eyes widened as he laid eyes on the passenger._ "That was when I met her."

 _She had pale skin and flat, black hair with spiky bangs. She wore strange black and brown battle armor, a pink body suit, gold leg warmers on her left leg, white leg bands, gold earrings, white gloves and boots of matching color. He approached her warily but stopped as she began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open as she was staring right at him. Byakugan met purple eyes as the two stood there in silence._

 _"H...help... me." requested the woman as if she were hesitant. Hiashi didn't have the chance to ask her who she was as she quickly returned to slumber. He ignored all protocols as he put his kunai away and rushed to her. He was quick to grab her bridal style and run towards the village, leaving the sphere behind._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hinata couldn't comprehend what she was hearing. Her mother, came from space: outer space! This just couldn't be real! The only problem was that she knew her father wasn't one for jokes. A thought suddenly crossed her mind as she looked to Hiashi.

"Forgive me if this sounds like an insult Father but... did Mother have a tail?" asked Hinata. Hiashi looked a little surprised by Hinata's question, but nodded in response.

"A strange guess but she did, in fact, have a tail." answered Hiashi. "It was actually similar to that of Goku Toyotomi's own tail." Hiashi looked around carefully before returning his gaze to his eldest daughter. "Do you... know of the saiyans?" Fu raised his hand in defeat.

"I recently told Goku of his heritage." admitted Fu. "With how close he is to Hinata, it's no doubt that he told her first." Hinata nodded, confirming the Nisekuma head's beliefs. Hiashi sighed as he looked down.

"In all honesty I hoped to tell you when you were older. Then you'd hopefully be to where you could defend yourself from the elders." Hinata nodded as she looked down at the scroll in her hands.

"What happened to her?" asked Hinata once more. Hiashi looked up as he placed his hands on the ground.

"To tell you that is to continue to the week after that."

* * *

 _Flashback, Meeting Room_

"Your mother had awoken recently and explained her past to the best of her abilities." _stated present Hiashi._ "When it was clear she did not reveal all of it, they sent in Inoichi Yamanaka's father to read her mind. It was an unpleasant idea to me, even though I had seen it a thousand times before. It was thanks to this, however, that we found out everything we know about the saiyans." _A very irritated Hiashi was standing in the meeting hall with his father, with whom he was still not on good terms._

 _The shinobi council had conjured to discuss the reaction to this new information. The saiyans were a clear and present threat, despite the benefits of having them among their ranks would be. This "Frieza" and his Cold Empire could come for them at any moment over holding such a being. Hiruzen never hated a predicament such as this before, but the fate of all life was on the line. The Hokage stood up as a clear decision had been made._

 _"It would be in our best interests... to either send this saiyan back into the stars after reverse engineering her craft or to dispose of her immediately." declared Hiruzen with a heavy heart. Hiashi looked surprised by this as he looked to his father, the man seemingly pleased with the decision. "We cannot put the village in danger by keeping her here, let alone the whole planet. The last vote on the matter falls to the council on which of these options would better benefit the human race as a whole."_

 _The clan heads remained silent as Hiruzen wipes his brow. "If the matter cannot be resolved, then I must call a Five Kage summit to assess the danger. With that being said, what says the council?" The head of the Akimichi clan stood up first._

 _"The Akimichi stands for exile." stated the man. "Killing her now could not only be extremely difficult under the full moon but it would be immoral to commit, even for a shinobi. Plus, imagine what we'd gain if she proves to be a valuable asset." Unsurprisingly, the head of the Hatake clan was next to stand._

 _"Imagine the danger we'd all be in if she's not." argued the man. "If she were to leave the village and go somewhere else, she could potentially give them saiyan halflings. There's no telling how strong half saiyan children will be. If not execution, then at least there needs to be a strong restriction placed upon the woman." The head of the Nara sighed as he laid back in his chair._

 _"Execution is too troublesome." said the Nara to no one's surprise. "If you need a restriction Hatake-sama then we have her craft, which is already trashed. We could easily grab her tail if she decides to try anything." The Yamanaka clan was next as the clan head stood up._

 _"While I do not like the prospect of being attacked by an enemy that can destroy us all with a single, powerful blast, it is most likely they will conquer us at some point whether we keep young Fasha around or not." argued the man. "Seeing as we shall need all the allies we can get, I vote for exile rather than execution." Hiashi began to tremble over this meeting. He had never seen a meeting so intense in all the time his father was preparing him to lead the clan. Speaking of, his father was next to rise._

 _"This woman is nothing more than a clear and present threat to the village." bluntly stated the Hyūga head. Hiashi said nothing as his father continued. "Her ship almost costed the Hyūga clan their next leader and she could've crashed into the village itself. Her immediate execution is the only clear direction." The last clan head to rise was the current head of the Uchiha clan._

 _"With all things considered, we cannot allow a being more powerful than all of the top clans in Konohagakure combined blindly walking our streets." declared the Uchiha head. Hiashi's eyes shot up as he looked to the various heads. "For the future of all, the saiyan must die." Hiruzen lowered his gaze as he took a deep breath._

 _"It has seemed that the council has made its decision." acknowledged the Hokage. "All votes have pointed towards..." Hiashi did the unthinkable and stood from his seat._

 _"This is not right!" shouted the future Hyūga head. All eyes moved to him as he threw his arm to the side. "Have you forgotten the history of this very village? Was this very land not built amongst enemies? What is different for an entirely new species, whose only key difference is an extra appendage!?"_

 _No one answered as Hiashi's father glared daggers at him. His own son was going against the opinion of the clan? He would not stand for it. The man grabbed Hiashi by the shoulder and turned him to face him._

 _"Hiashi!" barked the Hyūga head. "Do not go against the clan's decision! You only bring dishonor to the Hyūga name!" Hiashi shrugged his father off as he sent his own daggers at the man._

 _"Just as you spit in the face of this village by denying an individual the chance to obtain the Will of Fire!" The Hyūga head was taken aback by this. He clenched his fist as he readied to put the child in his place._

 _"Enough Hiroshima!" barked Hiruzen. The Hyūga clan head turned to the Hokage in shock. "If you cannot control yourself then you will be asked to leave!" Hiroshima growled as he turned away from his eldest son. "Your words are inspiring Hiashi-kun, but the vote for execution has been made."_

 _"On the contrary Hokage-sama, the vote is not yet complete." interrupted the Hatake clan head. Hiruzen shifted his gaze to the white haired man. "There have been many fair points made that have shifted the Hatake clan's vote towards exile. Not only that, but the Sarutobi clan has not stated their opinion on the matter. With the votes tied, it is up to you as Hokage and the head of your clan to decide the fate of young Fasha."_

 _Silence filled the air as Hiruzen looked to the center of the room. No one could really tell what was going on in the Hokage's head as he kept his usual, stoic expression. A small smirk appeared on his face, however, as he looked to the others._

 _"Very well. Seeing all points brought up by the main clans and the next generation, it is my opinion as the third Hokage and as the head of the Sarutobi clan to choose exile over death." Hiashi couldn't help the small smile on his face. "With all votes tallied, Fasha the saiyan shall remain in Konoha until such a time as her ship can be repaired and reengineered, her own demise or a later vote. I will hand select a group of Shinobi to keep a constant watch over her."_

 _The last thing that was heard of the meeting was the Hokage's gavel hitting the podium. Hiashi may have gotten the scolding and discipline of a lifetime upon returning to the compound, but it was all worth it to him._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hiashi has a small smile on his face as he told his daughter and guest the story of that day. He couldn't imagine the consequences of the decision to execute Fasha or take it to a Five Kage Summit. He's even more grateful that it never came to pass. He noticed the patient yet inquisitive looks on the two listeners' faces. His smile did not change as he looked to Fu.

"Naturally I requested to be part of her watch detail." continued Hiashi. "My father was still angry with me, but he could not stop me once the Hokage made it an order for me and my team. Through our time watching over her, Fasha began to grow a love for this village and the planet. A part of me hoped that we'd never reverse engineer her craft. Little did I know that months later my hope would lead to unforeseen tragedy."

* * *

 _Flashback, Hokage Tower_

 _Hiashi, his team and Fasha stood before the Hokage. They were previously at a barbecue place as the saiyan amongst them had grown hungry. News of her pod, however, caused the entire group to rush off to the Hokage Tower. So here they were now, awaiting Hiruzen's information. The Hokage sighed as he looked to the group._

 _"I apologize for calling you on such short notice, but we have a situation on our hands." stated Hiruzen. He looked to Fasha first and foremost. The woman had switched her outfit over to a pink t-shirt and black shinobi pants to keep from seeming too out of place despite having a tail. The woman tapped her foot in anticipation. "I'm afraid your saiyan pod was stolen in the middle of the night."_

 _Silence rang throughout the group. Fasha smacked her hands against the wood of the Hokage's desk in anger._

 _"What do you mean it was stolen!?" shouted the saiyan woman. "I thought you had some of your best guarding and studying it!?" Hiruzen nodded as he kept his composure._

 _"Yes. They were some of our greatest shinobi. It was sad to see them mercilessly slaughtered on the ground as the door to the pod's chamber was ripped off its hinges. The vault containing the craft showed signs of intense heating as it was literally blasted through." Fasha took a step back as she tried to process this._

 _Another ki user was here in the Elemental Nations? Hiruzen leaned forward in his seat as he continued. "Either another village has found out about you and decided to capture your pod, someone in the village itself wants your technology for himself, or another being from outer space decided to apprehend your pod for his own uses. We have no surefire way to prove any of these options, but these are most likely." The saiyan woman said nothing as she let this information go through her head._

 _Someone out there decided to take her pod for some unknown reason. Her one way off this planet was gone. She was virtually stuck here until another ship came along or death. The saiyan looked down in frustration as Hiashi put a hand on her shoulder. Her tail wrapped around his waist as the team's sensei stepped forward._

 _"Hold on Lord Hokage." interrupted the man. "Didn't you say you were working on a prototype spaceship?" Fasha looked up upon that question. Hiruzen sighed as he looked to his student._

 _"I did, but without the pod here we cannot be so sure that it's ready. There were several components that we were still studying. Unless young Fasha here knows the ins and outs of her spacecraft, a test run would be too dangerous." Fasha took a step forward, accidentally pulling Hiashi forward with her._

 _"Let me take a look!" requested Fasha. "I once got so bored that I watched my team's mechanic fix up a broken pod. I took note of the five most crucial parts to any space fairing vehicle." Hiruzen nodded as he pointed to an embarrassed Hiashi._

 _"You may detach yourself from Hiashi Hyūga and wait outside. I must speak with him and his team before we take off." Fasha looked a little confused as she looked back to Hiashi. She blushed as she realized the awkwardness of the situation. She removed herself from the Chūnin as she walked out the door._

 _Hiruzen could hear the team's sensei chuckle as he shook his head. "Now there is only one matter I wish to discuss with you before we take a look at the spacecraft. A few minds have changed as of late on Fasha's predicament. Her maternal instincts towards children and her willingness to help others in return for proper payment has caused most of the clans that saw her as too dangerous to remain in the village to side with her possible residency." Hiashi seemed the most excited as he watched his sensei pull out a book._

 _"I'm sensing a but here." said the man in anticipation. "This many clans voting on an issue such as an individual's citizenship is rarely ever out of the good of their hearts." The whole team of Chūnin were a little worried by the implications of their sensei's words. Hiruzen's nod only added to their anxieties._

 _"While that last part is true, Fasha must choose to stay with us. If she were to remain on this planet, however, most of these clans siding with her citizenship require her to marry into one of Konoha's clans." Hiashi' was shocked the most as Hiruzen brought up a scroll. "A few civilian clans have brought up potential suitors, but the most prominent are the Uchiha clan and the Inuzuka clan. They both provide good suitors that could guarantee strong half saiyan children."_

 _"Should've known. Having such a powerful individual in one's clan could make for an incredible sign of power." Hiashi stepped forward a bit in curiosity._

 _"Has the Hyūga clan put out any suitors?" asked Hiashi. His teammates looked at him in surprise. He was known to hang out with Fasha the most, but this was at the vehemence of his clan. Hiruzen nodded in spite of this fact._

 _"There have in fact been a few potential suitors brought forward." Hiashi became hopeful as the Hokage scrolled through the scroll's contents. The man sighed as he put the scroll down. "All will be denied." Hiashi jerked back in shock._

 _"Why!? Surely there are good choices within the list!" Hiruzen shook his head in response._

 _"While I would like to believe your word Hiashi-kun, I recognize all names as members of the branch house. To allow any of these individuals to marry Fasha would almost certainly mean the Caged Bird Seal in her future." Hiashi growled as Hiruzen continued. "If they were from the main family then they may have been considered, but I will not allow the clan elders to force saiyan children under their thumb. Such a powerful force could allow the clan to totally overpower the entire village."_

 _The Hyūga heir sighed in response. He knew there had to have been some catch for anyone of Fasha's strength to join his clan. He got an idea as he held his hands to the side, slightly uncomfortable with the request he was about to make._

 _"Can anyone offer themselves as suitors?" His sensei smiled as he turned a page in his book. Hiruzen pondered over this as he looked at the scroll he set upon his desk. He looked to the Hyūga heir with a serious glare._

 _"It is possible for clan heads and heirs to make such a request for political marriages. Any heir, however, must have the express permission of his or her clan head." Hiashi sighed as he looked down. He would have to go through his father once again. "Any remaining suitors will have to be registered before the coming month."_

 _Hiashi bowed in respect as Hiruzen stood up. "Now that this matter is resolved for the moment, we must join Fasha before she decides to visit the craft alone." The whole team nodded as they followed their Kage out the door._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hiashi decided to stop as he looked over to his right. A member of the Hyūga clan presented him with a black scroll also decorated with the clan symbol. He nodded to the man as he took the scroll. He waited till they were left alone before unrolling the scroll. He laid it out for his daughter and guest to see.

"This is a photo of the prototype ship that came under the Hyūga's care upon our marriage." explained the Hyūga clan head. The ship was shaped more like an aspen leaf than anything else. It was colored stock grey with clear glass and had a round entrance hatch. He pointed to a young woman dressed in worker's overalls. "That woman right there... that's Fasha when she started working with the engineers to fix the ship."

Hinata leaned in closer as she looked at the woman. She could definitely see some similarities, but something felt off to her. Seeing the look on his daughter's face, Hiashi decided to move on. "The craft had most of the components needed to achieve space travel, but there were key points that would take years to develop and are still a long way from being complete. While she had all the time in the world to finish the ship, I did not have such luxury with winning her over and convincing my father to allow the marriage."

"You said she wrapped her tail around your waist right?" asked Fu. Hinata's brow rose upon this question. Hiashi nodded in confirmation. "Guess it wasn't hard to get her to accept your feelings then." Hinata's curiosity grew as she sat back up.

"May I ask what you mean by that Master Fu?" asked Hinata. Hiashi became slightly concerned by Hinata's tone. Fu, however, was more than happy to oblige as he turned to face her.

"If a saiyan male or female falls for or grows a strong emotional attachment to an individual, their tail will instinctively wrap around the individual's waist." Hinata's eyes once again widened, but this time it was accompanied by a rosy tint to her cheeks. She grabbed the sides of her face as she tried to calm herself down.

'Does that mean... GOKU-KUN LIKES ME!?' Hinata took deep breaths as she closed her eyes. 'Wait a minute he said strong emotional attachment. Goku could just see me as a sister. Love is an emotional attachment right?"

That last thought did not help her at all as she began to hide her face behind her hands. Hiashi looked to Fu, his concern growing.

"Is there... something I should know about?" asked Hiashi with an easily audible tone of confusion. Fu waved the man off as he looked down at the image of the craft.

"Eh!" sounded Fu. "You just owe me a hundred ryo." Hiashi suddenly got the meaning of the Nisekuma clan's words as he looked to his tomato of a daughter.

"Hinata!" The girl in question exited her ramblings as she looked to her father. "I will discuss this matter with you later, but for now I need you to pay attention!" The Hyūga heiress nodded as she removed her hands from her face.

"A...apologies father." apologized Hinata. Hiashi sighed as he shook his head.

"While it is true that Fasha easily accepted my feelings, my father did not agree with our marriage." Fu looked up from the picture as Hiashi continued with the story. "I found myself in an uphill battle after I confirmed that Fasha held the same feelings towards me. My father was entirely against a member of the main family marrying a saiyan. I couldn't get him to budge with anything I tried."

Hiashi grabbed at his arm as he looked to the picture of Fasha. "It finally came to a head on one fateful day."

* * *

 _Flashback,_ _Hyūga Compound_

 _It was after dinner in the compound. Most children and individuals were in bed asleep. This was not true for Hiashi_ _Hyūga and his father. They were once again in an argument over Hiashi's potential marriage to Fasha. Hiroshima had his Byakugan active as he tried to intimidate his son._

 _"For the last time Hiashi, your marriage request has been denied!?" shouted the_ _Hyūga clan head. "If she is to join our clan then she must be put in her place! The Caged Bird Seal cannot be present on the spouse of a clan head or an elder!" Hiashi had his own Byakugan flashing, not backing down in the least._

 _"I love Fasha-Chan with all of my heart!" declared Hiashi. "She is a living, breathing being just like any member of this village. Her freedom is her own to decide, as is mine to myself. You have no authority to stop us!" Hiroshima amcked Hiashi across the cheek._

 _"I have every authority! The main branch must remain pure if we are to ensure our clan remains in the top order of Konoha! I would never allow a member of my family, let alone one who does not respect the oldest practice of our clan!" Hiashi stood up once again as he looked his father in the eye._

 _"You may beat me. You may shout at me. You can even kill me where I stand. I promise you that I will never stop loving her, and I will never stop fighting. I will never stop following my heart."_

 _Hiroshima raised his hand as he readied to discipline his son again. "If you were to let me marry Fasha, then I will never speak out against the_ _Hyūga clan's ways again." This caused his father to pause. "I will not stop the Caged Bird Seal from being placed on certain individuals, never speak out against the decision of the elders unless their decision will harm the village or the clan, and I will never challenge your rulings for as long as you live. This is my promise to you."_

 _Hiroshima lowered his hand as his son got on his hands and knees. He had never seen Hiashi humble himself in such a way before. "Please Father. Let me be with the woman I love." The_ _Hyūga head turned away from his son, a frown still on his face._

 _"Granted." Hiashi looked up as his father walked towards his quarters. "You are finally learning your place in the world. Make sure your word is as strong as your resolve." The future head of the clan was left alone as the lights went out._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hinata couldn't find the words to say. Her father had given up a majority of his freedom to be with her mother. It hurt her just to imagine Goku doing something like that for her. Despite this fact, however, she could only find gratefulness for her father's decision. Hiashi looked up to the duo as he sighed.

"What happened next might not surprise you." continued Haishi. "Fasha had decided to stay and help Konoha in advancing its technology to the best of her knowledge. A few weeks later we became husband and wife. We would have had you earlier had the Third Shinobi war not came to be. With invasions around the village territory and many complications with the prototype spacecraft, we never had time to think about settling down."

Hinata waited patiently as she awaited the end of the story. "Eventually the war ended and things began to die down. Well, to a normal point for a shinobi village anyway. The elders tried many times to make Fasha submit to their decisions." The Hyūga heiress looked to her father in confusion.

"I thought you promised Grandfather that you would..." Hiashi chuckled in amusement.

"I never said anything about your mother. Plus, as you will learn in the future, women can be quite frightening when protecting something they believe in. This was especially true for Fasha once you were conceived. An elder couldn't even spit in her direction without receiving a wave of killing intent." Fu's smirk dropped as he looked to Hiashi.

"If she was so strong, then what happened to her?" asked Fu. At this question, Hiashi clenched his fists.

"She died the night of the Kyuubi's release." Hinata looked saddened as she looked down. Fu shook his head as he placed his hands on his knees.

"So she fought the fox and perished." Hiashi threw a kunai at a vase, shattering it.

"No tailed beast took Fasha from me." This news surprised both listeners as Hiashi stood up. "That night I experienced what a true demon was. What it felt like to be in one's presence, what it felt like to be powerless against one, what _she_ looked like." At that last part he pointed to where the vase once stood.

Hinata and Fu were quick to follow the man's pointing finger. Hidden behind the vase all this time was a picture of a blue skinned woman with red eyes and pure white hair. She wore a red and black body suit, a white cape leg cape and red and black high heels. In her hands was a long staff with a golden point on each end. Fu growled as Hinata took in the woman's appearance.

'Towa.' Hinata pointed to the woman in recognition.

"She has blue skin like the man that attacked me and Kiba back in the Forest of Death." stated Hinata. Hiashi looked to her as she put her arm down. "The red eyes are even the same. Maybe they are related in some way."

"Whether the two are related or not, I will never forget the face of that woman. I will never forget the night she took your mother from us. She used that cursed weapon to drain the life out of Fasha just as you were being checked on by medics in another room." Fu looked down as Hinata looked her father in the eyes. "No one ever believed that it was a demon."

Hiashi took a moment to grab a new vase and place it in front of the image. "They told me it was a genjutsu or some form of Kekkei Genkai but I know what I saw. Nothing of this world could give off such an evil feeling by just being in the area." After a moment of silence Hinata found her composure and cleared her throat.

"Why did you marry Hanabi's mother?" Hiashi slowly turned to face Hinata, a lone tear threatening to fall from his eye.

"To save your life." Hinata jerked back as Hiashi returned to his seat. "Without your mother to protect you, it didn't take long for the elders to regain their courage. They had ordered your immediate placement in the branch family."

* * *

 _Flashback,_ _Hyūga Meeting Chamber_

 _"Out of the question!" roared the younger Hiashi. The elders showed no fear as they stood tall before the angry father. "You shall not remove her tail, and the Caged Bird Seal shall never meet her skin!" The main elder stepped forward in response._

 _"The choice is not yours to make Hiashi." argued the elder. "She is not of pure Hyūga blood and therefore cannot be placed as the head of our clan. Had she been a full blooded Hyūga we would not be having this conversation." Hiashi walked back as he shielded his only daughter._

 _"The love of my life was already taken from me. I will die before you subject my child to the horrors of the Caged Bird Seal! There must be another way." The elders sounded their frustration as a few stepped forward. The main one, however, held them back._

 _"Need I remind you the promise you made your father all those years ago?" Hiashi's eyes widened in response. "You had gotten away with Lady Fasha turning us down, but you cannot openly challenge our orders. We must prepare the way for a true heir." The Hyūga head got an idea as he regained his composure._

 _"I shall make you a deal. I will remarry a Hyūga, a true pure blooded Hyūga, if you will allow Hinata the chance to prove herself as an heiress when she comes of age. If she can not keep up, then her sibling will take up the position of heir and she will be... exiled from the clan." The elders seemed slightly surprised by Hiashi's choice in bargaining, not expecting such a bold consequence. "Do we have an accord?"_

 _"You are sure that the girl will prove to be a beneficial head for our clan?" Hiashi nodded in response. "Very well, but to ensure that her weakness is not within reach, you are to seal away her tail and have her appear as relatable to her step mother as possible. May fate smile upon you and the child." Hiashi was left alone with his child as the elders exited the room._

* * *

 _Present Day_

Hiashi quickly took note of his daughter's surprise. He knew she wasn't ready for the weight of this news, but she seemed to be holding herself well. His guest, however, looked like he was planning the mass murder of the elders. The killing intent coming off of him didn't help to disprove that assumption. Hiashi decided to change the subject as he looked to Hinata.

"It took months to find a new suitor but, once we found Hinabi's mother, it was easy to complete the traits." stated Hiashi. "It hurt me to hide a significant part of your past, but I had no true choice. I was grateful your stepmother took a strong liking to you. I figured the Hyūga elders would have your growth stunted so that you'd be easy to pick off. I lost all hope of your survival till Fu Nisekuma took over your training."

Hinata looked down as she squeezed her knees.

"You gave up so much of your freedom to marry my mother and protect me." sobbed Hinata. "You lost your right to veto the elders' decisions just to bring me into the world. How could you let yourself lose the very rights you held so tightly to?" Hiashi looked down as well.

"I let my love for your mother blind me to my father's plot. Love is a powerful inspiration but without a tempered mind and a steady hand it becomes a double edged sword. It is an irreplaceable part of every human being, no matter how much the elders and others like them try to push it out. Despite the pain and hardships caused by my decision, I would do it again in a heartbeat." Hinata looked up to see her father's face.

"Where is the seal?" Hiashi motioned for the girl to stand up and turn around. Fu payed attention as Hiashi lifted the back of his daughter's gi. There, running along her spine, was a large seal that would normally be well hidden. He pressed on the center as he sighed.

"The seal starts here, where your tail would be. It runs up towards your middle back." Hinata nodded as she felt the area pointed out by her father. It was hard to reach, but she could definitely feel the difference between her regular skin and the seal. Fu whistled as he looked over the intricate markings.

"It's not the seal of a master but it's definitely a decent restriction seal." stated Fu. "Anyone with slightly above average skill could lift the seal with ease." Hiashi nodded as he let the top of Hinata's outfit drop. The heiress turned to her father as he knelt down.

"I apologize for keeping such an important part of your life from you my daughter. It was shameful of me to seal away all remnants of your mother." Hinata nodded as she looked her father in the eye.

"You may have been a hard parent, but your harshness was for my safety." stated Hinata. "I understand your decisions." Hiashi sighed as he nodded. Hinata rubbed her back as she looked down. "May I take some time to process all of this new information?"

"Take as long as you need Hinata. You may take your leave." Hinata nodded as she turned to Fu. She entered a respectful bow as she took off for her room. Fu sighed as he stood up.

"I must be returning to my mistress." declared Fu as he popped his back. "I know who to go to if I ever wanna check out the ship." Hiashi nodded as he stood up himself. Both men went their separate ways as a servant came in to clean the shattered pottery. In her room, Hinata could be found reading over her mother's message once more.

* * *

 **That's it for this chapter! Bet you weren't expecting one of Bardock's teammates to be the mother of Hinata were you? Things are starting to get heated as we begin the month long training for the Chūnin Exams finals. Will Goku be able to defeat his first round opponent, get the girl and reach the coveted Chūnin rank? Stay tuned for all this and more on Switched at Tragedy!**

 **I just wanna apologize for taking three weeks to write this. It was hard coming up with ways for Gaara to be the winner of the final round and some good flashbacks of Fasha and Hiashi. Now before you go on about how Lee could've easily beaten Gaara with the ki blasts and the Kaio Ken, let me remind you that he also used the Hidden Lotus technique in tandem. This means that he used up a lot of power trying to finish the fight, a reckless decision on his part. You'll have to stay tuned to figure out how he learned the Kaio Ken in the first place.**

 **As a final note, I have not forgotten our favorite blonde Uzumaki. I just wanted to get through with the prelims as all the chapters for those fights happen in the same day. Now that we've actually got days between each chapter for that kind of thing, expect more out of Naruto from now on. I'll also be shifting a major focus point on him in later chapters. With all that being said, please remember to R and R and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	20. Chapter 19: Fake Ninjas, More on Summons

**I'm not dead! ... Sorry. I just wanted to try that. Anywho, welcome back! I just wanna apologize for taking so long with this new chapter.**

 **I want to remind you guys, however, that I have a life beyond fanfiction. There may be times where I can update within a week or two and times were I can't update for months like right now. I take my education very seriously and it will more often than not take precedence over writing my stories. I'm thankful for your support, even humbled by it, but I must ask you to be patient with me.** **In any case, let's answer some reviews.**

 **nappa: He will not be evil.**

 **Guest (1): Stay tuned on that.**

 **Guest (2): Trust me, I haven't forgotten the blonde Jinchuriki. I just wanna keep things going with the timeline. It'll kinda be a mix of both scenarios, but not always.**

 **Guest (3): He might in the future.**

 **Guest (4): I'll do my best to meet those expectations when we get there.**

 **Starscream: Sorry it took me so long. Keeping up with college and seeing friends can make time go by.**

 **KDT123: I know you feel this way, but I'm not going for those two as a pairing. I feel like it wouldn't be right for this story. If I do another story like this I'll consider it as, while the reasons you listed are not what I'd use when making a pairing, I do see the appeal people have for the pairing.**

 **TalentedAnt 386: Let's just say I have some fun planned for Sakura in this fic. Neat character and fusion entries by the way.**

 **Guest (6): That is a good question, though it definitely won't be answered in this fic.**

 **Dandy Wheat: Yeah. That's the kind of effect I wanted to obtain with that reveal. We'll definitely be seeing some interesting stuff with this new development. I have something planned for Goku and Tsunade's meeting. Let's just say that after the mission to find Tsunade we'll be seeing some unexpected developments. Not quite sure if he'll gain Biju power or not. They might take interest in him. Piccolo probably won't be in the Naruto verse.**

 **NOOBMASTER: He might in the future.**

 **Noobmaster: They are from the Dragon Ball time branch. It is biologically possible for her to be able to transform, but she has to get strong enough and find out how. It'll be revealed very soon how Rock Lee learned the Kaio Ken. Don't worry about the lovable saiyan. I've got him covered. I hope my reply to the third guest will suffice for your similar comment. He might learn to summon or he might not.**

 **With all that out of the way, let's begin with the chapter. I only own OC characters, objects, abilities and concepts unless otherwise stating. This crossover would've happened long ago if I owned the two series.**

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

It has been a week since the preliminary battles ended. Goku could be found at his team's training ground with Zabuza's sword in hand. He stood perfectly still as he listened to the wind. His head shot up as he turned with a swing of the blade in his grasp. He blocked two shadow clones as they tried to strike him.

He launched them away before turning to cut down three more clones. The attacks just kept coming and coming as the boy stood his ground. Goku was currently training with himself since Kurenai-sensei had yet to assign the team with any special training. It was understandable with how Hinata was still recovering from the hospital trip and Kiba was trying to avoid the saiyan like the plague. That's even without the fact that Orochimaru was in town.

A growling noise rang through the air, telling Goku that it was time for him to head there himself. He released his clones as they jumped at him. The boy chose to walk to Ichiraku Ramen instead of flying. It wasn't too often that he got to see the village from ground level. He made his way through the crowd as he followed the path.

Goku could feel the stares coming from the people, especially the visiting shinobi. He paid them no mind as he continued on his way. He finally reached his destination, only to stop just short of the place. Standing outside the stand was the fake shinobi team from the preliminary rounds. The bald one handed Mr. Ichiraku the coupon from his match against Choji and some cash in return for a large bag of food.

The trio took off just as quickly as Goku arrived. He walked up to the stand and took his seat. Mr. Ichiraku turned to the boy with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry Goku, but I'm completely out of noodles." stated the man. Goku's eyes widened in shock as the owner began to wash his pots. "Every now and then those three you saw come in with that coupon and buy a large amount of ramen. They just so happened to catch me on a day where my supplies are low." Goku sighed as he looked down.

"Do you know what they do with that stuff?" asked the tailed fighter. Mr. Ichiraku shrugged in response.

"No one really knows where they go or what they do with all that food. All I know is they take a bit of profit out of my day." Goku rubbed his chin as he looked to where the group ran off. He smirked as he hopped off his seat. "Have a good day Goku!"

The saiyan jumped from rooftop to rooftop as he tracked the trio's energy. It wasn't as hard as one might think as the blue haired girl practically had no control over how much energy she showed. He felt the group move to the right as he made a long jump. They took a left soon after, the blonde girl almost coming into view. Goku smirked as he continued his pursuit.

He jumped up to a higher building as he grew closer to the fake ninjas. He finally got a good look of the trio as they came to a stop. He recognized the building as the Konohagakure orphanage. He heard rumors of unfair treatment within the establishment, but that wasn't important right now. He watched the trio hide their fake forehead protectors as they walked into the building.

Goku carefully jumped down as he moved around the building. He walked along the side as he tried to locate his targets. There seemed to be many kids playing around in their rooms as he looked into a window. The smell of ramen was like a beacon as he found himself looking inside the kitchen. He peaked in to see Krillin with a grey bandanna over his head as he placed the bowls on the table.

The tailed boy watched as Lia grabbed some silverware from the cupboard. Launch had put on a long sleeved checkered shirt before coming into the room. She slammed the door behind her as she looked to the duo.

"They're coming!" shouted Launch. Krillin and Lia jerked as they held serious smirks on their faces. The bald boy activated the shadow clone jutsu as he finished distributing the bowls. The blue haired twin grabbed the remaining utensils as she threw them into place. The door began to bulge, causing Launch to sound off her worry.

"Now!" shouted Krillin as he dispelled the clones. Launch nodded as she moved to the side. Goku watched as children ran into the room, the door looking as if it was about ready to fly off. Each one took a seat as Krillin pulled his bandanna off. Lia smiled as she placed a toddler into a high chair.

The boy watched as the trio began to serve the children the large amounts of ramen. One question screamed loudly in his mind.

'Who exactly are you three?' thought Goku in his head. He quickly moved away from the window as Lia looked his way. The saiyan was up on the roof faster than you could say noodles. One thing was for sure, things just got interesting around this part of the village.

* * *

 _Time Branch 147, Mt. Myoboku_

A loud growling sound rang through the air. The toads and tadpoles of the Toad Summons either ran to a safer distance or covered their ear holes. These were mornings that anyone who lived on the mountain dreaded. Jiraiya had drunk himself to sleep, and his drunk snores were legendarily annoying. Naruto and Chi Chi stood at his bedside with earplugs in their ears.

They tried to wake up the sage by shaking him or even yelling in his ear, but nothing seemed to work. They wouldn't be able to train at this rate. The man made too much noise. It seemed like nothing would... Naruto smiled evilly as he got an idea.

"What are you doing?" asked Chi Chi with a worried look on her face. The boy grabbed a pillow from a nearby chair as quietly as he could. He quickly called forth some shadow clones too put together his little plan. When everything was set, the real Naruto reared his arm back. He roared as he threw the pillow into the wall.

"TSUNADE-I-DIDN'T..." shouted Jiraiya as he practically leapt out of bed. His head suddenly hit a wooden plank, sending a pail of the same material into the air. The sannin landed on his rear as the bucket turned over. The next thing he knew he was doused in orange paint, a couple of feathers sticking to the substance. He said nothing as Naruto laughed his head off.

The boy's mood was cut off, however, upon hearing his sensei mumble to himself. He could swear that he heard the man... counting? He looked to where some of the paint splattered to see an open book with a quill and ink next to it. He shuddered as he saw a few drops of paint now stained the page and smeared the writing. He disappeared in a puff of smoke as the elderly man neared ten.

Chi Chi chuckled as she walked backwards towards the door. The man got to five as she bolted down the stairs. The toads and tadpoles sounded their relief at the silence of the beautiful...

"SON NARUTO UZUMAKI!" roared Jiraiya. The tadpoles scattered once more as the toads grumbled. Naruto was out of the house and down the path as his master jumped out the window. "I JUST FINISHED THAT CHAPTER! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU..."

"How was I supposed to know you write beside your bed!?" shouted the blonde in response. "Besides, your snoring was so loud they could've heard it in Konoha!" The sage chased his pupil around the mountain for hours upon hours. They even ran atop the water as they circled the entire landmass. Chi Chi stood in her usual training spot as Naruto quickly hid behind her.

"Now I've got you ya book ruining brat!" Before he could do anything, the man was hit in the back of the head by a very familiar fan. Ma stood over Jiraiya with a large scowl on her face.

"Leave the children alone Jiraiya-boy!" roared the old toad. The sage rose from his spot as he looked to the elder toad.

"Naruto needs to be punished for ruining my newest book!" Ma readied her fan once more as the man jerked back. Naruto snickered from behind Chi Chi. He was next to recieve a smack from the fan.

"OW!" shouted the boy. Ma looked at the two men with disappointment. "Why?" She pointed her fan at the blonde jinchuriki first.

"If your going to do this kind of thing than be a man and own up to it! Even if you can't do that Naruto-boy don't hide behind a woman!" Naruto looked away as the toad turned her weapon towards Jiraiya. "I'm actually glad he woke you up! How hard is it for an old woman to get some shut eye in the morning without a drunk idiot snoring loud enough to wake the dead!?"

"Calm down Ma." yawned Pa as he approached the group. "Just go back to bed and let me take care of this lot. I think they got the message." The female toad sighed as she hopped away from the group.

The boys sighed as they sat down. Pa looked to the group with a soft smile. "It looks like we may need an alternative to the usual training since Jiraiya-boy messed up the schedule. It may be a good time to learn a little bit about summoning." The children's eyes widened in response.

Were they really ready for summoning at this point? Naruto knew he was strong, but summoning was a whole other ballpark. Chi Chi didn't know if she was even near the beginner level. Before anyone could object to this proposition, Naruto's stomach sounded its displeasure. "It may be a better decision to have breakfast beforehand."

After breakfast the group departed to a nearby island outside of the Toad Summons' territory. They couldn't exactly use a random summoning scroll as there were territory disputes between summoning clans at times. There was definitely going to be problems if Chi Chi ended up summoning a serpent, but that wasn't important information at the moment. The students were standing in front of Jiraiya and Pa as two scrolls lay before them on a table. Jiraiya decided to take point on this lesson.

"Before we begin, who can tell me what summoning scrolls are and how they function?" asked Jiraiya. Naruto raised his hand as Chi Chi shook her head. "Go right ahead then Gaki." The boy began to count on his fingers as he collected his thoughts.

"Summoning scrolls are blood contracts between a clan of summons and an individual." began the blonde. "This is a promise that the summons will be available to help their client upon summoning." The sannin nodded in response, waiting for the boy to finish. "The five most known summoning scrolls are the Toad Scroll, the Snake Scroll, the Slug Scroll, the Monkey Scroll and the Wolf Scroll." Chi Chi looked to her friend with a smile.

"That's correct, but those are only four of the most famous in Konoha. There are a wealth of summoning scrolls out in the world. There's the tiger summons, the hawk summons, the bear summons and the turtle summons to name a few." The ox princess looked to the sannin in surprise.

"Would that last clan have anything to do with the Turtle Hermit?" asked the young girl. Jiraiya looked to the girl in confusion, where did that name seem familiar? "My father trained alongside Son Gohan under the legendary Turtle Hermit: Master Muten Roshi." Naruto was a little shocked that the girl made the connection between the old hermit and the contract, but it did make sense. The Toad Sage snapped his finger in memorisation.

"I think I met that guy shortly before I came looking for you Gaki." The duo looked to their sensei as he looked to the first scroll on the table. "Regardless of whether he had the Turtle Scroll or not, our focus will be finding the right scroll for you young lady." The man gestured to Naruto with a smirk. "Naruto, you will sign the Toad Scroll as my apprentice."

The blonde pumped his fist in response. The duo approached the scrolls with some hesitance. Naruto picked up the Toad Scroll and unraveled it, quickly taking note of the names written in dry blood. He still wasn't entirely sure on the process. Chi Chi was just as hesitant as she grabbed the blank scroll.

"All you have to do is bite your thumb and sign the contract with your blood." instructed Pa. "I know it seems daunting to do this kind of thing, but that's how the ritual works." Gathering his nerves, Naruto was the first to complete the act. Still just as hesitant, Chi Chi did the same with a kunai. "Now that that's done, all you have to do is complete the hand signs and smack your hand against the ground."

Being the first out of his stupor, Naruto blitzed through the symbols. He then raised his hand high in the air. He smacked the ground with a hard thud.

"Summoning Jutsu!" shouted Naruto. In a puff of smoke a shadow enveloped the group. A green toad as big as Jiraiya stood before the group. He wore a purple turban and a white wrap around his waist. The sage whistles as he looked up to his excited pupil.

"Not bad for your first summon Gaki." complimented Jiraiya. "It took me a while to quit summoning tadpoles. I don't think I got to meet this guy though." The toad looked to Jiraiya with a slight annoyance.

"Of course a man with a mind like yours wouldn't be able to summon me." dissed the warty being. "You're too mentally weak and I'd never come to the call of such a horrid coot." The sage cried indignantly as Naruto burst into laughter. Today just wasn't his day. "You may call me Gamaku."

"Well my name's Naruto Uzumaki!" declared the boy on top of the toad. The warty male was a little shocked but composed himself as he looked up at the boy. "So... what can you do?" The toad licked his eyes to moisten them.

"I have an affinity for Steam Style and can use various scalding techniques." Naruto nodded in response. Sounded like a good ally to have in a fight. "Is there anything you needed me for Tadpole?" The blonde wasn't fond of the nickname, but shook his head nonetheless.

"I just wanted to practice my summoning. You can go back home if you want." Gamaku nodded as Naruto hopped off. The toad disappeared the same way it arrived. With Naruto done, the group looked to Chi Chi in anticipation.

Feeling the pressure on her, the girl carefully weaved through the signs. She was a little nervous on the outcome of the jutsu. It wasn't clear whether the creature summoned would be friendly or not. She was more careful with her hand as she placed it on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!" cried Chi Chi. A familiar puff of smoke covered the area around the girl. A light snoring could be heard by the group. In front of the ox princess stood her title's namesake. The ox has on a red fez and a purple vest as it slept peacefully before them.

Naruto tilted his head as he looked to the sleeping beast. Chi Chi walked around to try and get a better look at the summons. Pa sounded off his annoyance as he hopped over to the grazer.

"An ox summons." states the old toad. "They're powerful and incredible beasts but they're also lazy horned grazers who have terrible anger issues if you rile them up. I think we may have to send him back if he doesn't wake up soon." Upon the end of the toad's rant the bovine awakened with a start. He looked around at the sandy Islam he found himself on.

"How the heck did I get here?" lazily asked the ox. He looked around as he walked past his summoner. "I distinctly remember grazing in Kakusei-ki Fields." Chi Chi sounded off her confusion as the beast finally looked her way.

"I'm sorry but this is kinda my fault." apologized the girl. "It's my first time summoning and I..." The ox snorted as he sat on his rear.

"Hey little lady chill out. It's all goooooood. This isn't my first rodeo with new summoners. Actually, this sand is nice and warm." The ox princess smiled as she let out a sigh of relief.

The beast looked to her scroll and stamped his hoof on it. In an instant the scroll went up in smoke, soon replaced with a green and blue one that bore the kanji for Ox on it. "Just call us any time and we'll be ready. Just wait for me to explain things first and be careful when trying for higher summons."

Chi Chi didn't want to question the bovine as he fell back to sleep. The moment a snot bubble began to form in his nose the beast disappeared in appropriate fashion. The group was relieved that the interaction was as friendly as it was. While it did bring to mind the warning given to them by the ox, who they never got the name of, it did provide Chi Chi with a scroll of her own. Jiraiya clapped his hands, earning shocked looks in response.

"Now that you two have your own summoning scrolls, we can get to work on higher level chakra control exercises and other techniques." stated the sannin. He gestured to Naruto with a smirk. "Naruto, I want you to help Chi Chi learn water walking. Once a few hours go by we'll begin work on jutsu that should work well with your respective summons." The blonde nodded as he looked to his friend.

She was a really good student and she seemed to have an easy time with the lessons he's gave her so far. She could probably have water walking down before the day was over. How hard could it be?

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Streets of Konohagakure_

Goku walked down the street as he looked to the pedestrians. He was on his way to the orphanage once more to check on the trio of fake ninjas. He decided to take a more inconspicuous approach to the situation. Throughout his three days of visiting the site he'd come to learn a lot about the trio. Turns out they weren't that different from the children they helped take care of.

They were orphans left in Konoha at a young age. Either they spent their whole lives in the orphanage or they were moved around a lot. The children seem to be extremely fond of the the fake ninjas. What Goku didn't understand was why they were risking their lives in this endeavor. What did they have to gain from lying their way into the shinobi corps?

The saiyan knew he wouldn't get answers by being subtle, so he decided to try a more direct approach. He soon found himself outside the orphanage, around the time the false shinobi usually left. He propped himself against a wall as he awaited his quarry's departure. He remained in his spot for a few minutes before the door showed any signs of action. Krillin was to first to exit as he looked around.

"Remember to keep that ice pack on your eye Chuzu." instructed the bald boy. "Be more careful when bouncing that ball around the building." It's unclear whether he received a response or not as he closed the door behind Launch and Lia. The trio began to walk down the street, unaware of the shinobi tailing them. Goku was careful to blend into the background as his targets continued onward.

He found himself having to hide behind other civilians and jumping above to ensure that the trio wouldn't spot him. He had to be extra careful as Krillin could sense energy. The group seemed to be taking various different paths and alleyways to get to their destination. It got to the point where he had to take the rooftops once more. He jumped to a nearby wall and held his position as the trio finally came to a stop.

"Why do we always have to take the weird ways home Krillin!?" asked Launch in frustration. The bald boy was quick to hush her as he looked around. Goku did his best to limit his energy so as to remained undetected. The blonde girl wouldn't have any more of it as she stood tall above her short friend. "Why can't we just take the street all the way there like everyone else!?"

"Hush up Launch!" shouted Krillin as he tried to whisper. "We need to keep on our toes. Besides, it helps us stay in shape to do these exercises on the way back. I'd rather not have someone following us back home." Goku leaned over a little bit to get a good view of the trio.

"I honestly don't see what the problem is." agreed Lia. Launch looked to her blue haired sister like she just commited treason. "It's like we're playing ninja all over again, even if it's to make sure no one kills us." The tailed boy raised an eyebrow at the girl'e choice of wording. What are they trying to stay away from.

"Ya sure you don't wanna go back to Old Bandages to be with your boyfriend?" asked Launch with an evil smirk. Now was Lia's turn to look hurt, though Goku couldn't understand why. The trio seemed to solve their dilema as they resumed their running. Goku chased after them with a worried feeling. Who was "Old Bandages?"

A few more strange moves later, the trio stopped for what Goku hoped was the final time. It was a part of town no one ever really ventured since the attack of the Nine Tailed Fox. They soon found their way to a small house that screamed abandoned. There were a few hanging shingles and worn down bricks along the building. He watched them walk inside while picking up some packages off the front porch.

The boy still didn't know what to think about this trio. They were clearly trying to avoid someone, but the question was who? There were very few people he ever met that could be seen as "Old Bandages," and one of them was dead. He had to know who exactly they were talking about. Of course, there was only one way to figure that out.

* * *

 _Time Branch 147, Mt. Myoboku_

Chi Chi stood on the beach as she took deep breaths. A nearby rockface slowly dropped water back into the ocean. She opened her eyes as another drop hit the water. She ran forward as she tried to walk on the water. Her foot seemed to hover above the ground below as she met the water.

She got five steps out before falling into the ocean. The ox princess groaned as she sat up, hitting the water with her fist. She was thankful that her set instructor wasn't laughing at her attempts, though she wished his own teacher wouldn't interrupt the sessions. Naruto was talking with Jiraiya over some techniques he could try as she walked out of the water. The blonde looked her way with a large grin.

"You're doing good Chi-hime." cheered Naruto. "You've got the concept down pat, but your going a little too fast. You have to find the right amount of chakra to push into your feet." The ox princess shook her head as she looked to the duo.

"I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere anytime soon." disagreed the ravennette. "I can barely manage five steps. I don't think I'll ever be as good at this as you." The blonde rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Honestly your going at the exact same pace as I did when I first tried to master water walking. If anything you're doing a bit better than me. It's amazing how fast your learning." Chi Chi blushed in response to the complement. Jiraiya chuckled as he looked to the young student and master.

"I think now would be a good time to work more on your summoning jutsu." stated the man. Both Naruto and Chi Chi nodded as they looked to him. "I recently gained the permission of Gamabunta to allow the Ox Summons to be present on Mt. Myoboku. That means our little ox friend can stay a little longer for training." The ravenette was practically shaking with excitement. The ox was a powerful animal, meaning that if she can master working with them, she could be a force to be reckoned with.

They soon reached their usual arena as they pulled out their scrolls. Both teens bit their thumbs before weaving through the symbols. They were like reflections in the mirror as they raised their arms in the air.

"SUMMONING JUTSU!" shouted both teens at once. Two puffs of smoke pierced through the air. Naruto was sitting atop Gamaku once again as he looked over to his opponent. Chi Chi found herself behind the same sleeping ox once again, only this time he was awake and munching on some grass. The beast looked back at her as he swallowed his food.

"Looks like we meet again eh little lady?" asked the ox. "My name's Yozen by the way." Chi Chi nodded in response.

"My name's Chi Chi, princess of Frying Pan Mountain." introduced the girl. Yozen nodded his head out of respect. "I'd like to know a bit more about the ox summons if you don't mind." The ox turned his back to the others as he looked to his new summoner.

"The ox summons are well known for their defensive capabilities and their powerful charging attacks. Most of us have a primary earth affinity and can move mountains if they stand between us and grasslands." He noticed a few toads looking his way at those last few words. "It's how we keep our lands fertile. I'm not about to start a summons war."

"Their just wary of you big guy. They'll get used to you being around the more we train." Yozen nodded in understanding of Chi Chi's words. The girl readied herself as she looked to her ally with determination. "What's the first step in working with the ox summons?"

"I'm required to ask you one simple question beforehand. What's your ideal life?" Chi Chi was a little taken aback by the question. "Take your time if you need to." The girl composed herself as she looked to the ox.

"I guess I want to have a family." At this answer Naruto tuned in. He was curious what they were talking about. "I imagine myself with a husband who has a successful career and a boy who grows to be a great scholar. To make it short, I want to live the simple life."

Naruto felt a little awkward at this answer. He wasn't sure what to think about the girl's ideal life. Chi Chi rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Well, as simple as it can be with everything I've come across." Yozen sounded off his approval.

"That's a relief. You don't know how frustrating it is to work with someone who's power hungry or too ambitious. Now, the element of earth is a sturdy substance to work with. You have to have a will strong enough to mold it to your need or liking." Chi Chi nodded in response.

Naruto looked to his friend as she began to follow Yozen's instructions. He looked back to his own training as he refocused himself. He dodged blasts of steam that were coming towards him as he began to form energy in his hands. He shot them forward with a bit of uncertainty. These thoughts would haunt him for a long time, but his own training took precedence.

* * *

 _Time Branch 149, Konohagakure_

Night soon fell upon the village of Konoha. Goku switched to a black suit and a mask reminiscent of Kakashi-sensei just for this mission. He carefully maneuvered across buildings left and right as he approaches the run down area of the village. He watched every shadow around every so often, the paranoia of being a ninja heavy on him at this time. He soon reached his target, which was lit in the dark of night.

He pulled his mask up as he approached the building. He used his tail to swing off an electrical wire while using a light amount of energy to slow his descent. He landed on the roof of the building as quiet as a mouse. He carefully made his way for one of the windows as he peaked in. The kitchen was empty, the only heat coming from the lit candle.

He lifted the window a bit to allow himself access to the room. He used his senses to try and keep a tag on where each individual was. Seeing as they were in a different part of the building, he continued his trek. The only noteworthy things he could see were posters of the various Kage throughout the history of the elemental nations. He soon saw a glint coming from a room nearby.

The boy checked for traps before quietly entering the room. Three broken forehead protector plates laid on a table before him. He looked over the metals as he tried to piece together the symbol upon them. He felt the air shift a bit as he began to piece the puzzle together. He placed the last part into place as he finally assembled the kanji.

"Root?" asked the saiyan. He'd never heard of a group going by that name before. Maybe Grandpa Hiruzen would... He unsheathed a kunai as he blocked a familiar metal hand. He kicked it away before following the chakra strings.

He met the blonde's second puppet with a punch of his own, sending it flying backwards. Lia came at him from the side with a kunai of her own. The saiyan fought off both opponents at once as he tried to sense for Krillin. His eyes shifted up as he cartwheeled back, dodging Krillin's attempt to punch him. He quickly powered up a bit of energy in his hand as he readied an attack, causing the bald faker to look at him in confusion.

"Toyotomi-san?" asked Krillin. Goku kept the attack ready as he awaited his opponent's next move. Launch and Lia looked uncertain as they awaited their self appointed leader's decision. The boy looked to Goku with a newfound scowl. "Why did you break into our place?"

"Why are three orphans pretending to be ninjas?" asked the monkey boy. The girls looked to each other in shock before noticing that Krillin held this same expression. Goku didn't let up on his attack as he pulled his mask down with his other hand. "While you think on how to answer that how about telling me what the heck Root is?" The mere mention of the name caused the trio to shudder in fear.

"How the heck did you find out about that!?" asked Launch in anger. Goku looked to the room he just came from. The trio glanced to the three broken plates on the table. "Where did you find those old things!? We threw them in the river after we escaped from..."

"Don't answer that!" shouted Krillin. "Someone could be listening!" Goku looked to the group as his face softened a bit.

"If you didn't put those on the table... then who did?" asked the saiyan. This question stumped the fake ninjas as they looked to each other. Goku took this moment to fire his attack, aiming above the heads of his adversaries. A ninja wearing a mask with the very symbol the trio feared jumped out of the way of the attack. Launch directed one of her hand puppets to grab the individual by the throat, but it only managed to catch a substitute.

"EARTH STYLE: STONE PRISON!" shouted the shinobi. Rocks began to encase Launch and Lia as Goku and Krillin jumped out of the way. The sisters were completely encased in stone before being lowered into the dirt. The bald boy's eyes widened in shock.

"NO!" cried the teen. He looked outside to see the ninja carrying the two stone cases. He looked to Goku in anger. "I could've saved them if you didn't get in my way!" Before the saiyan could react the boy jumped out after the villain.

The boy followed the man's energy as he tried to catch up to him. Within minutes he caught sight of the shinobi. It was apparent that he couldn't vanish with prisoners in hand, making him an easier target. The boy pulled out a kunai and threw it at the individual, but only managed to knick his outfit. The man made way for one of the training grounds as Krillin followed behind.

The chase soon reached training ground seven as the man fused the stone prisons to some trees. He turned as Krillin finally caught up to him. The boy drew another kunai as he entered a battle stance. "Let them go you rotten ROOT! Danzo doesn't have any hold on us anymore!"

"You three can never escape Lord Danzo's rule." stated the shinobi. "You either work with the service or you're nothing more than broken tools. These two will serve ROOT one way or another. You only have two choices: join willingly, or die a criminal of the true Konoha."

"I can't believe I ever trusted that old has been. I'm taking my friends back, whether Danzo likes it or not!" The shinobi didn't like that answer as he pulled out a large hammer. He rushed forward as he swung the weapon behind him. Krillin leapt into the air to avoid the man's attack, which made a small crater in the ground.

The man swapped his grip as he turned to attempt another strike as Krillin threw a kunai. Upon the head of the hammer hitting the ground, a small wall of earth rose to block the projectile. The man used this temporary cover to weave his hands into different signs. Krillin rushed forward as he prepared to break the wall. The shinobi let the wall drop as he pounded his fists together.

"EARTH STYLE: GRAND SPIKE JUTSU!" A large spike rose in the walls place as it raced for the bald boy. Krillin jumped out of the way, but the spire turned to follow him. The boy continued to try and outrun the large attack, but it grew faster with every moment. Krillin tripped over a rock as the spire shot up into the air.

The teen rolled onto his back as the spire came spiralling down towards him. He raised his hands to shield himself, but a new shadow suddenly passed over him. The sound of breaking stone rang through the air. Krillin dared to sneak a peek as a familiar tailed boy floated above him. Goku held the Executioner's Blade in hand as he broke the spire into hundreds of pieces.

"Guess I'll have to teach you a lesson you big bully." growled Goku as he readied the blade in his hands. The ROOT ninja decided retreat was the best option as he bolted for the stone prisons. He reached out to grab one of them, but both rocks disappeared in a puff of smoke. Two Goku clones were quick to slice into the man's arms, rendering them useless. The shinobi screamed till the real Goku kicked him in the back of the head.

Krillin was quick to rise as the Goku clones grabbed his assailant. "Get him to Ibiki in IT and make sure he stays alive! He's got a lot to answer for." The clones nodded as they took off. The boy looked to his right as a clone brought over the two prisons.

"Launch!" cried Krillin as he rushed towards the stones. "Lia! Can you hear me!?" Goku was quick to catch the teen by the collar as his clones looked over the prisons. They weaved through a few hand signs before placing their palms on the rocks.

"Release!" shouted the two clones at once. The rock began to crumble away upon command, releasing the two prisoners within. Launch gasped for air while Lia clutched at her side. Krillin fought his way out of Goku's grip as he ran for his two friends. The boy gave them a moment to make sure everything was alright.

Upon realizing that they would manage, the boy recalled his shadow clones. "You three have a lot of explaining to do." The trio were still a little wary of Goku, even after he saved the girls. They didn't know if he could be trusted. "You can tell me all about this ROOT on the way to see the Hokage."

Seeing no other option, Krillin nodded to his companions. It was either this or try to run away and risk being captured by Danzo again. They couldn't really afford that. So, with a bit of reluctance, they followed their savior through the village. The trio tried to conform to Goku's terms, but they had to very careful how they worded it.

Danzo's spies could be anywhere, meaning they were in constant danger. Upon arrival at the Hokage's office, Goku knocked on the door. Krillin and the girls could hear an exhausted groan accompanied by a barely audible greeting. The boy walked into the room, soon followed by the others. There they found Hiruzen looking over various papers alongside his shadow clones.

"Goku?" yawned Hiruzen as he looked to the boy. "What are you doing up this late, and why did you bring Team 11 with you?" The saiyan shook his head in response.

"I don't think it would've been best to wait till morning with this matter Hokage-sama." Hiruzen's nerves steeled at the use of his title. Goku wouldn't use his title like that unless it was urgent. "These three were attacked by a shinobi wearing a mask that bore the kanji for ROOT on the forehead." The Hokage's eyes widened in shock.

He never thought he'd hear that name again, especially from someone wo young. The saiyan was quick to gesture to Krillin and the girls. "I'm sure it'd be better if these three told you their story." In response to this the girls pushed Krillin to the front. The teen gulped as he approached the Hokage's desk.

"You see Lord Third... we became involved with Danzo's ROOT at a young age." began the teen. "After failing the graduation exams, Danzo Shimura approached us with an offer to become genin under his ninja corps. We realized too late that the man's intentions were less than pure. We became subjects of his attempts to form a powerful force to one day relieve Konoha of all its enemies." Hiruzen's eyes narrowed at the boy's story.

"If he wanted to rid the village of its enemies then why did you back out of ROOT?" asked the Hokage. "Sounds like a very admirable mission." Launch looked away in shame as Lia rubbed her arm. Seeing as neither of them were willing to speak up, Krillin decided to continue.

"Upon our fourth mission, we began to question who exactly the enemies of Konoha were. So, in defiance of everything they tried to drill into our heads, we snuck into the main office and found out the truth of ROOT's purpose. You and several other individuals were listed as enemies of Konoha. Danzo and his allies want to turn Konoha into the perfect military country and take command of the entire elemental nations." This information shocked Goku more than it did Hiruzen, but the elderly man had hoped it wouldn't come to this.

"I see. I had hoped my old friend would've gotten over this distaste for our society." The Hokage looked to the trio, his stern expression still present. "Am I to assume you entered the Chunin exams to try and foil a plot by ROOT, or were there other motives behind that decision." Goku decided to chime in as Krillin rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"They merely entered the exams to inspire the orphans in their area to follow their dreams." answered the saiyan. The fake ninjas looked to him in shock. "Don't look at me like that. You took the last of Ichiraku's ramen which led to this whole fiasco." Hiruzen sighed as he shook his head.

"Before I have you three carted off for infiltrating the exams, give me one good reason why you did it." Krillin began to sweat as he tried to think of something. Lia was quick to place a hand on the boy's shoulder to calm him down. She looked to Hokage with the most sincere face he'd seen in years.

"We wanted to instill the Will of Fire into the next generation sir." answered the blue haired twin. Goku smirked as he looked between his adopted grandfather and the trio. "By entering the Chunin exams we hoped to ignite the spirit of the orphans and bring about Konoha's next generation of protectors. I apologize for my team breaking the law, but our intentions were anything but malicious." Hiruzen shook his head as he looked down at his papers.

"This is going to be so much more paperwork." The fake ninjas became worried as the man turned his attention to Goku. "Bring me two blacks and one white." The boy nodded as he ran down the hall. Krillin felt like backing away as the image of three coffins appeared in his head.

Hiruzen shifted his tired eyes to Krillin as he shook his head. "It truly is a shame you know. Faking your way into the Chunin Exams was not a decision that you could walk away from. You would've died out on the field or by the hands of our very proctors. Now you stand before me and confess to have done just that."

The bald boy gulped as Launch clenched her fists. "There's only one way to settle this matter. Before Goku returns, you must choose which one of you will die." The group was taken aback by the this revelation. "If he gets back and you haven't made your decision, then none of you shall survive."

"This... this isn't fair!" shouted Krillin in defiance. "How can you expect us to choose who dies when we're all to important to each other!?" Lia looked down as she shook her head. "If you think for one second that..."

"It was nice know in' you twos." stated Launch. Her companions looked to her like she'd grown a second head. "It's my fault we got caught and I ain't gonna sacrifice eitha of ya for my own mistakes." Lia shoves Krillin to the side as she got up in her sister's face.

"Like heck I'm going to let you die!" shouted the usually calm girl. "If anything I should be the one to give my life. My illusion wasn't good enough to fool them. This is MY mistake that I will own up to." The girls began to argue over who would give their life when Krillin pushed them apart.

"No one is dying today!" roared the boy. "You have to reconsider Lord Third. There's no way we can just throw one of us under the bus like this! We're a family, and no one's getting left behind! So either we get left off the hook or there's gonna be a fight on our hands!"

"Can you honestly say that to my fave boy?" asked Hiruzen. He stood up from his desk, giving off a very imposing feeling. "Are you willing to put this family of yours in danger to defy a direct order from your superior?" The bald boy nodded his head in response, wishing he didn't use up all his kunai in the chase. "So be it."

The door swung open as Krillin began to grovel at the man's feet. The girls looked back in terror, only to deadpan as their self appointed leader was still groveling. Launch smacked the boy in the back of the head, causing him to turn to her in frustration. He finally saw what the girls did, Goku carrying three forehead protectors corresponding to the Hokage's request. The saiyan frowned as he looked over the scene.

"What the heck did you say to them Grandpa?" asked Goku in frustration. "I thought we agreed no more scaring people in this kind of situation?" Hiruzen couldn't help the soft chuckle that accompanied his smile.

"Well I had to do the test of teamwork and camaraderie anyway and the boy was taking this the wrong way." The girls looked as he let out a nervous chuckle. He had them worried... for nothing. Hiruzen shook his head as he let out a yawn. "I'll assign you three to a team in the morning, so if you'd please choose between the three protectors and follow Toyotomi-kun out of my office please."

The twins each took a black forehead protector, leaving Krillin with the white one. The four teens quickly left the building so the Hokage could finish his paperwork in peace. The group remained silent half way to the team's abode before Krillin finally got up the nerve to move ahead of Goku. He made the group stop as he held up his hands.

"Okay let's slow down for a second." stated the boy. Goku looked a little confused as the bald teen stood before him. "That felt a little too easy. Why the heck would the Hokage even let us into the shinobi corps after what we just told him? Moreover, why would you be so willing to help us if you knew from the start we were faking our shinobi career?"

"I kinda told the Hokage beforehand that something was up." honestly answered the tailed boy. "It's that second part that I kinda can't explain. I just... felt like I could trust you guys. It's like I knew somehow that you guys weren't a threat." Krillin raised a brow at this answer, but Launch put her arm around her teammate with a huge smile.

"Does it matter right now acorn boy!?" asked the blonde twin as she held her forehead protector in hand. "We're finally going to be actual ninjas of Konoha! We can't just pass up an opportunity like this!" Goku smiled as Lia walked up to the others. The boy decided that now would be the best time to head out.

He jumped up to a nearby roof, letting out a soft yawn as he landed. The trio looked to him as he turned to face them. There was a bit of silence between them as the stars shined above. Goku could definitely tell there was some connection between them, but he still couldn't figure out what that was. He nodded their way before heading off for his own home.

* * *

 _Hokage's Office_

Hiruzen was on his last piece of paperwork for the entire night. This last bit and he could return home to his family. He hated how the Chunin Exams added more paperwork for him to deal with, but that was the life of a kage. At least the shadow clones made it a bit easier to deal with the extra baggage. He sighed as he signed the last paper.

Tonight proved to him that not all was right in Konoha. He had specifically ordered Danzo to terminate his ROOT program for their violent tendencies and their undivided loyalty to him, but the bandaged man was too stubborn. Now escapees of the horrid organization warn the Hokage of his old friend's treachery? They couldn't really provide proof for the accusation, but Hiruzen knew they were telling the truth. He rose from his seat as he shook his head.

"This has gone on long enough old friend." stated the Hokage with a deep scowl. "After the Chunin Exams... you're through." The old man left his office behind, a new mission in mind.

* * *

 **And that's it for the newest chapter of Switched at Tragedy! We are fast approaching the end of the Chunin Exams as we enter the training period. Goku just saved Krillin and the Launch twins from doom at the hands of ROOT, and the trio have become a true ninja team. On the flip side, Naruto and Chi Chi have been introduced to the world of summoning animals and begin training to use them. There are still questions left to be answered.**

 **One thing I want to mention before closing out, however, is the fate of the poll for Naruto's pairing. Nothing really changed as far as votes go, but there'll be a big change a while after this chapter goes up. I'm dropping the poll. I realize that I've come to rely to much on what others would think, even if it's important to take your audience into consideration. If anyone wants to make last minute votes that's fine, but this chapter is it when it comes to the poll.**

 **With that out of the way, what did you think of the chapter? How long do you think Danzo will remain alive? Who will battle who in the finals? Let me know what you think in a review down below and I'll get back to you ASAP. This is Caliban, signing out.**


	21. Apologies and Plans

**Hey guys. This is gonna be hard to swallow, but I think everyone will be better off in the long run. No, this isn't some crazy prank or even one of those fake out intros. As of today, Switched at Tragedy will be undergoing hiatus. Now before you put hate reviews and bring out the pitchforks and torches, allow me to explain myself.**

 **I've come to be grateful for all the love and support you guys have been giving me as a writer and the story as a whole. I honestly have worries over every new chapter and story I put out, and the support has actually helped me to become calm and bolder in my life. If it were possible for me to continue as usual then I'd have put out a bunch of new chapters by now. As it stands, however, I can't push forward with the story. There are three major reasons why the story is being put on hiatus, in no particular order whatsoever:**

 **1: I may have stated this before, but I take college very seriously. If I have to choose between getting homework and studying done and writing a new chapter for any story, I'm going to choose the homework. College has gotten so hectic and tough that I can barely find time to write many chapters, or anything else for the matter. It's rare if I find time to write a new chapter and even then I'm mentally exhausted from all the work I've done.**

 **2: I've recently found myself having major artist's block when it comes to this story. I thought getting out a new chapter for Chan in Bellwood would help me to get going on this story, but so far I've come up blank. I have too much on my mind for this and other stories, so my mind and imagination tends to be a jumbled up mess. While I originally planned to try and look over my work to get a better idea of where I wanted the story to go, I came across a new problem...**

 **3: The fire I had for Switched at Tragedy seems to have run its course. I tried and tried to make everything work in my head, but it only served to stifle the spark more and more. The love I had for this story has just died down to a point where I can't push forward at this time.**

 **I know you guys might be upset about this, but there's just no way I can push forward with this story. I don't feel comfortable that the story I planned to put out will be one that both you as the reader and me as the writer can enjoy. I don't want to just push through and end up losing my love for the series involved and writing in general. I hope you understand: I may get back to this story some day or even start a new story like this one. Until that day comes, however, this is Caliban signing off... for Switched at Tragedy.**


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